NEW YORK - Three Turkish glass artists have taken part in the 2008 International Expositions of Sculpture Objects and Functional Art (SOFA) in New York.
Works by glass artists Erkin Saygi and Ruhcan Topaloglu as well as sculptor Yucel Kale are displayed in a stand opened by Washington-based Turkish Cultural Foundation in the expositions.
Guler Koknar, chairperson of the foundation, said on Thursday that their foundation devoted to promoting and preserving Turkish culture, art and heritage in the world.
The 11th annual Sculpture Objects & Functional Art fair opened at the Park Avenue Armory. The fair will remain open till June 1st. 67 leading international galleries will offer masterworks in ceramics, glass, metal, wood and fiber by major artists as well as the new generation of emerging artists bound to appeal to both seasoned and new collectors. Galleries from eleven countries including Japan, Italy, Britain, France, Canada, Denmark, Korea, Argentina, New Zealand, Turkey and the United States, present museum quality work which bridges design, decorative and fine art.
Born in 1945 in Istanbul, Erkin Saygi joined in Turkiye Sise ve Cam Fabrikalari A.S. (The Sisecam Group) in 1966 during his university education. He completed his undergraduate education and received his MBA degree from The Institute of Business Economics, Istanbul University, while working in Sisecam. In 1990, Saygi appointed as the General Manager of Pasabahce Magazalari A.S., the glassware retailing company of The Sisecam Group. After retiring in 2001,Saygi founded Cam Atolyesi with Ruhcan Topaloglu.
Born in 1961 in Istanbul, Ruhcan Topaloglu attended a course on glassware cutting held by Pasabahce Glassware Factory in 1973. He completed the course with a degree of first place and started to work in the Pasabahce Factory.
(UK-MS)