Devrim Erbil opens first exhibit in US

NEW YORK - Anatolia News Agency

Painter Devrim Erbil poses with one of his works at the opening of his first exhibiton in the US. He often uses Uşak carpet motifs in his paintings. AA photo

Famous Turkish painter Devrim Erbil has opened his first exhibition in New York. The opening of the exhibition at a famous art center in Manhattan, Aba Tzarev Gallery, was attended by Turkish Consul General in New York Levent Bilgen and drew a great deal of attention.

Erbil, who was born in the Aegean province of Uşak, which is famous for its carpets, said he had been influenced by carpet motifs in the city and used them in his paintings often.

“Carpets, which our ancestors brought from Central Asia to Anatolia, are a gift of Turks to humanity. No region and no country in the world has such a rich carpet and kilim focus. I used the carpet as a symbol of contemporary art. As a person from Anatolia, I had to do it better than Western painters. I reflect the idea that the carpet is not only an object on the floor but also cultural heritage that can be hung on the wall.”

Erbil said he had made special paintings for the exhibition, which drew great interest from Americans, and finished them in six months.

Erbil, who was born in 1937, also attended the internationally known Venice Biennial and was granted an art scholarship by the Spanish government. He is also among the students of painter and writer Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu.

The exhibition in New York will continue until May 9.

Carpet museum in Uşak

Under the leadership of Erbil, Turkey’s first carpet painting museum will be established in Uşak. The museum would reflect both Turkish painting art and carpet art generally, and focus on traditional to modern carpets. It will exhibit many carpets from Central Asia and Turkish carpet art. In addition to carpets the museum will also include Turkish paintings that relate to carpets. The museum will be a visual archive of Turkish carpet art, said Erbil. The carpets will reflect famous paintings and Turkish painters.

The project is supported by the local government and university as well as NGOs. Work on the museum has begun. Currently, the team, supported by Uşak University, is deciding how to build the museum.