KVI research seminar: Begüm Sönmez “A Brief History of Modern and Contemporary Art in Turkey”

Begüm Sönmez is an art historian based in Turkey. She holds her bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Hacettepe University, and Anadolu University, respectively. Her research areas include contemporary art, appropriation art, sculpture, and comparative postmodernism. She worked as a research assistant at Hacettepe and Anadolu universities, and as a lecturer at Yaşar University. Currently, at EKA, she is conducting research on contemporary Estonian art for a comparative study with Turkey, funded by a research grant from the Estonian Education and Youth Board.

This presentation, titled “A Brief History of Modern and Contemporary Art in Turkey,” will provide an overview of the prominent trends, themes, forms, and artistic activities in Turkish art from the 19th century to the present, focusing on the highlights of the art scene.