World Record at Auction Expected for a Turkish Contemporary Work of Art

ISTANBUL.- Antik A.S., the leading auction house in Turkey, will offer the masterpiece by Erol Akyavaş (1932-1999) ever to have appeared on the market. Estimated at USD 1-1.5 million the painting will be the masterpiece of Antik A.S.’s forthcoming Sale of Contemporary Art in Istanbul.

One of the masters of the Turkish Contemporary Art, Erol Akyavaş painted “Siege” painting (266×385 cm.) in 1982. “Siege” exhibited in Überse Museum, Bremen, Germany, 1982, Instutute of Contemporary Art, London, 1988, Turkish Artists Exhibition, Denmark/Charlottenburg, 1995 and art critics describe this work as one of the icon paintings of the Turkish Art.

Antik A.S. will also offer for sale paintings by masters of Turkish Contemporay One of the leading abstact artists Mubin Orhon’s oil on canvas painting “Red”, (100×100 cm.); an abstract work by Ferruh Başağa’s begining of artistic career and two masterpieces from “Pigeons” series; Abidin Elderoglu’s abstract work dated 1973 (88×116 cm.); one of the important Turkish figurative artists Omer Uluc’s painting titled “Nude”, 1981 (120×84 cm.) and other monumental paintings from different periods of artists’s career; Fahr El Nissa Zeid’s “Fortress and Woman” (100×120 cm.); Oya Zaim Katoğlu’s masterpiece called “Turkish Houses” (150×100 cm.) will also included at auction.

Erol Akyavas (1932 – 1999), “The Siege” (detail). Oil on canvas, signed and dated 1982, 266 x 385 cm. Estimate: $ 1,000,000 -1.500,000

The milestone artists of Turkish Contemporary Art Avni Arbaş, Zeki Faik İzer, Güngör Taner, Adnan Çoker, Bedri Baykam, Mehmet Güleryüz, Zekai Ormancı, Asım İşler, Ahmet Oran, Şadan Bezeyiş, Mustafa Ata, Özdemir Altan, Alaettin Aksoy, Ergin İnan, Neş’e Erdok, Devrim Erbil, Mehmet Gün, Utku Varlık, Haluk Akakçe, Taner Ceylan and Selma Gürbüz also represented in the auction.

Turkish artists Burhan Doğançay’s, his masterpiece was sold for 1.9 million USD. (world auction record for the artist) his works from different artistic career also included in the sale. “Phone Boxes” (110×180 cm.) from “Double Realism” series; “Rising Sun” (101×101 cm.), “Bookseller” (122×122 cm.) and “Post No Bills” from “Walls” series and other works from “Ribbons” series represented at auction. In addition, works by important Turkish photographers like Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Çerkes Karadağ will be on sale.

Olgac Artam, the auctioneer of the 260th sale of Antik AS, says “The masterpiece of Erol Akyavas, “The Siege” is the reflection of the peak of Akyavas’s artistic powers and is an extraordinary work, not only for its exceptional quality and being the greatest work of the artist’s, but also for the importance to the Turkish Art History. The work is considered as one of the most important top 5 paintings in Turkish art world. And to see such an important work offered at an auction is a great chance for museums and private collectors. It is a chance of owning “the masterpiece” of the Contemporary Turkish Art”

“A big day for Turkish Art Market”
Haldun Dostoglu, the owner Galeri Nev, one of the Turkey’s major galleries for contemporary art, says “Erol Akyavas’s ‘The Siege’ is the most important masterpiece of the artist, and it is one of the most important top 5 paintings of the contemporary Turkish art.”

The sale lots will be exhibited in the main building of Antik A.S. between the dates 1 – 7 March 2010.