ISTANBUL.- Artam Antik A.S., the leading auction house in Turkey, will offer the unseen masterworks of Turkish Modern Art ever to have appeared on the market. One of the masterpiece highlight of the sale is Erol Akyavas’s “I’m the Truth” a monumental canvas dated 1987. (190x360 cm.) The work has a starting price of 600,000 EURO and is expected to have an auction record for a modern work of Turkish art... Olgac Artam, the CEO and the auctioneer, said “the sale is giving buyers an opportunity to own museum quality masterpieces. The top lot Erol Akyavaş’s masterpiece is an extraordinary painting which has never been in the market before. Not only being a monumental canvas’ from the artist’s most prominent period, the painting is also known as the top mature work of the artist” It is considered by the art critics as the masterpiece of Modern Turkish Art. Haldun Dostoglu, the owner of the most prestigious Turkish art gallery says “This painting is the number one, top quality work of Akyavas, a masterpiece in every sense.”

Another highlight being offered in the sale is titled “Sunflowers Field”, a large spectacular painting by Orhan Peker (1927-1978). The artist’s museum quality work has a 200,000 EURO auction starting price. Besides these lots, works by Modern Turkish art's most important representatives, Burhan Doğançay, Ömer Uluç, Mehmet Güleryüz, Adnan Çoker, Alaettin Aksoy, Neşe Erdok, Hakkı Anlı, Abddurrahman Öztoprak, Güngör Taner, Avni Arbaş, Balkan Naci İslimyeli, Neşe Erdok, Cihat Burak, Komet, Ergin İnan, Kemal Onsoy, Gungor Taner, Asım Işler, Abddurrahman Oztoprak, Zekai Ormancı, Mustafa Ata, Nazif Topçuğlu, Canan Tolon, Ansen, Bedri Baykam and Azade Koker works will also be offered in the sale.

The auction will be held at the Swissotel The Bosphorus on March 25, 2012. Presenting a very important auction in the field of Modern and Contemporary Turkish Art, featuring works by artists who were great masters in their periods. A special catalogue has been prepared for the collection that will be on displayed at the Antik A.S., until 24th of March. Many examples of the museum-quality artworks and masterpieces from 1950s to this day will be presented in the auction. Antik A.Ş. the leading auction house in Turkey, founded by Turgay – Nurcan Artam in 1981, holds all the major auction records for Turkish art market. Some of the recent season’s successful sales include Erol Akyavas’s “The Siege” (1,274,000 EURO) and “Vav” 565,000 EURO. Burhan Dogancay’s “Symphony in Blue” (1,260.000 EURO), Mübin Orhon’s “Abstract” (696,048 EURO) and Fahr El Nisa Zeid’s “London” (650,000 EURO), and “Abstract” (550,000 EURO)

Details and online catalogue: www.artam.com Modern & Contemporary Turkish Art
Exhibition: 17 March to 24 March 2012 at Antik A.S. Istanbul.
Auction: Sunday, 25th March 2012 at 14:00, Swissotel, Istanbul.