The winners have been announced for the Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards, organised to support young artists by the Sabancı Foundation, which has been working for social development for more than 50 years. At this year’s ceremony, held for the 32nd time, 9 students who graduated with honours from the Painting, Sculpture and Traditional Turkish Arts departments of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University were awarded a total of 240 Republic gold coins.
Launched by the late Sakıp Sabancı in the spirit of his belief that “Respect for art and artists is the most valuable investment in society”, and continued by the Sabancı Foundation to keep alive his memory and vision in this field, the “Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards” were presented for the 32nd time this year.
At the ceremony held at Sabancı Center on 20 November, 9 students who graduated with honours from the Painting, Sculpture and Traditional Turkish Arts departments of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University were awarded a total of 240 Republic gold coins.
The winners were Duru Bozkurt, Gülce Ecem Çınar and Ergi Vardar from the Painting Department; Mehmet Evren Erdoğan, Umut Ballıkaya and Atakan May Sarıtaş from the Sculpture Department; and Elif Çanakkale Aygeç, Elif Göker and Betül Dal from the Traditional Turkish Arts Department.
The ceremony was hosted by Melisa Sabancı Tapan, Member of the Board of Directors of Sabancı Holding, and Prof. Yasemin Nur Erkalır, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University.
Melisa Sabancı Tapan, Member of the Board of Directors of Sabancı Holding: “Every young artist who receives an award here adds a new sentence to this country’s story”
In her speech, Melisa Sabancı Tapan, Member of the Board of Directors of Sabancı Holding, highlighted the late Sakıp Sabancı’s respect for the arts, saying: “At the 32nd Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards, we have come together to celebrate not only achievement but the meaning that art brings to our lives. My dear grandfather Sakıp Sabancı saw art as a realm of values that transforms people and society. Happily, through these awards we continue today to keep his belief alive together with a new generation of artists. At a time when we are drifting away from our emotions and turning so strongly towards the digital world, I believe we must embrace art all the more firmly. This is exactly where the Sabancı Foundation starts from. As we leave half a century behind us, we believe in the transformative power of art in every area in which we support social development. Because we know that where there is art, there is dialogue, there is change, there is hope. With these awards, we keep alive, together with new generations, my dear grandfather Sakıp Sabancı’s belief in art as a value that elevates humanity.”
Prof. Yasemin Nur Erkalır, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University: “The Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards open new horizons for our young artists who graduate with honours from their departments”
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Yasemin Nur Erkalır, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, said: “Launched by the late Sakıp Sabancı in 1994 and continued without interruption by the Sabancı Foundation for 32 years, the Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards are not only a source of great pride for our university, but also open new horizons for our young artists who graduate with honours from their departments. Recognising our students’ outstanding achievements in the arts, this prestigious award helps them realise their full potential, while reminding us all of art’s power to add value to society. At Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, we deeply value this meaningful support from the Sabancı Foundation, because these awards make our students’ efforts visible and provide an inspiring source of motivation for our young artists. Art is a journey that begins with a dream. I thank the Sabancı Family and the Sabancı Foundation, who have always supported our students in turning their dreams into reality on this journey, and I warmly congratulate all our award-winning students.”
Uninterrupted support for the arts
For 32 years, the Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards have encouraged outstanding students graduating with honours from the Painting, Sculpture and Traditional Turkish Arts departments of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, one of Türkiye’s long-established art schools. Through the Sabancı Fund, 287 young artists have been awarded a total of 7,665 Republic gold coins over 32 years as part of the Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards.
