Akdeniz (sculpture)

Akdeniz
The Mediterranean
The "Akdeniz" sculpture
Artist İlhan Koman
Year 1980 (1980)
Medium Sheet metal
Weight 4.5 tonnes
Location İstanbul, Turkey
Owner Yapı Kredi

Akdeniz (1980) is a monumental sculpture by the Turkish sculptor İlhan Koman first erected at Büyükdere Avenue in Istanbul,Turkey in 1980.[1]

It is one of Istanbul's most well known sculptures.[2][3] It is a figure of a woman with open arms formed out of 112 equally spaced 12 mm (0.47 in)-thick sheet metal strips.[2][4]

When the sculptor explains the feeling of a human hug, he thinks of the Mediterranean sea, which he says is the reason behind the name Akdeniz, Turkish for the Mediterranean.[2] The sculpture design, which is based a paper cutting and folding technique, weighs 4.5 tonnes.[4] In 1981, the sculpture earned İlhan Koman the Sedat Simavi Foundation Visual Arts Award.[5]

The sculpture, which was requested by the insurance company Halk Sigorta (later renamed to Yapı Kredi Sigorta), was initially erected in front of the company's headquarter on Büyükdere Avenue. In 2005, the sculpture was temporarily moved to Galatasaray square for İlhan Koman's exhibition; and some time later, with Halk Sigorta transferring to Yapı Kredi Sigorta, was moved to in front of the Yapı Kredi Headquarters in Levent.[2] People protesting Israel's questionable ground invasion into Gaza Strip during the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict ravaged the sculpture, which was situated next to the Israeli Consulate General.[3][6] After these events, the residents of Edirne started a petition to bring the sculpture to their city; Antalya's Muratpaşa district also wanted to house the sculpture in their district, and also started efforts to convince for the sculpture to be moved to them.[7] In 2017, the sculpture was moved to a location, where it is visible from the third floor of the Yapı Kred Culture Art building that was constructed on the İstiklal Avenue.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Akdeniz Heykeli Bir Kez Daha Taşınıyor". Sanatatak.com. 8 September 2017. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bayhan, Bahar (18 July 2014). "Akdeniz Heykeli Protestoya Kurban Gitti". Arkitera.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Akdeniz Heykeli'nin İsrail'le ne alakası var?". Diken.com.tr. 18 July 2014. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  4. 1 2 Hano, Bilal (2015). "XX. Yüzyıl Heykel Sanatında Figüratif Soyutlama". Erzurum: Atatürk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitütüsü yüksek lisans tezi.
  5. ↑ "Akdeniz Heykeli'nin Üzücü Hikayesi". Gercekgundem.com. 20 July 2014. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017.
  6. ↑ Kalafat, Haluk (2017-09-19). "Akdeniz Heykeli Denizden Uzakta ama En Azından Güvende" (in Turkish). Bianet. Retrieved 2018-04-27.
  7. ↑ "İsrail protestosunda kolu kırılan Akdeniz Heykeli'ne talip çok!". Diken.com.tr. 24 July 2014. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017.
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