Konferans metni [by Prof. AYŞE ÖZEL]

In this current century we live in, the interactions between the cultures and societies have increased more than ever; even the most hidden cultures draw attention and are protected more. Increasing usage of technology and communications facilitates and develops the inter cultural relations. As we all know , similar to the protection of the speices, the protection of the cultures is a civilized world approach.

In every cultural content, there are the resolutions of human life; therefore it is important for human prosperity, not to lose any cultural element. On the contrary, to make those cultural elements as the complementary parts of the global human civilization is necessary.
Emerging from the eastern world, the most sophisticated and close relations with the western world have been established by Turks. Turks remained in contact with the new developments and changes in the western world. At the beginning of the 20th century, Republic of Turkey was established, keeping their traditions and identity intact. Turks changed many forms of cultural life, like the alphabet, and adopted the changes in flexibility. Consequently, Turks have posed impressive impacts in the world, by their flexibility with the changes in social life.
As this progress has been called frequently as westernization, and considered to be eurocentric, the social movement aimed to be a part of the global cultural ambience, and this is only possible by protecting the cultural heritage.
In the context of westernization progress, the fact that the Turkish artists utilizing formats and rules of western art, might have been misleading for the obeservers. In fact, the Turkish art is a synthesis between the cultural background and the modern forms of arts. The abstraction of embroidieries and the abstract ornaments reach to a perception between the cultures, with the modern western forms and art language. It is understandable that the Turkish artists may contribute new dimensions to the western art through their cultural hertage.
On the other hand, the western artists are interested in the ethnic and national art forms. In every period, the artists have seeked different art forms to adopt, to create the new expressions. The artists in renaissance period studied antic greek arts for example, some artists in Manierizm and Baroque periods were interested in medieval period. Delacroix and Matisse were interested in north african arts, Manet, Monet and Degas were interested in Japanese arts. Picasso and Braque were interested in primitive arts, consequently all those artists adopted the different cultures into their intelectual capacity.
In the recent years we observe that, the interest in the western world, towards the local cultures is re-emerging. Now we all understand that the "other" cultures, and art forms are precious, and may contribute much to the diversity of art making forms; already, there are sub-categories for ethnic music, ethnic arts etc. This may create a new channel or an inspiration to the modern art forms.
In the 20th century, one of the leading painters of Turkey, Bedri Rahmi Eyuboglu, claims the following interesting sentence, in the context of Turkish ornament arts: "Embrodiery is an international language, such that, it has been commonly used by all societies, like the bread and butter, at all periods of times."
Similarly, Dufy, who impressed the large population of art lovers, once said: "The best discipline for an artist is ornamental arts"
Turkish artists adopted the values of the western arts as the source of their artistic works; similarly we expect the western artists are also inspired by the Traditional Turkish Arts.