Adnan Turani

Adnan Turani was born in İstanbul in 1925. Graduated from the İstanbul Teacher Training Institute in 1944 and completed his tertiary training at the Painting Department of Gazi Training Institute in 1948. In 1953 following being successful in the selection exam arranged in line with the provisions of Law No. 1416 he was sent to Germany for further training. He had the opportunity to work with Franz Nagel, Henninger and Willi Baumeister, and Heinz Trokes at the Academies of Fine Arts of Munich, Stuttgart and Hamburg, respectively. His stay in Germany continued till the summer of 1959. Following return to Turkey he started to work at the Painting Department of the Gazi Training Institute as a studio Instructor, and also lectured on the subject of Analysis on Fine Arts. In 1970 he moved over to the Hacettepe University Faculty of Literature, History of Arts Department and started lecturing on 19th and 20th century Arts and Western Arts courses. He also took part in directing the activities at the Painting Studio of the Music and Fine Arts Institute of the same University. In 1973 he received his doctorate degree on the thesis on “Factors leading to the formation of the Modern Plastic Arts”. Between the 1982 – 86 period, he was engaged at the Fine Arts Faculty as a lecturer. During the 1986 September – November 1990 period he occupied the Prof. Dr. Position at the Bilkent University Fine Arts Faculty. He retired in 1990. Presently continues his private practice in Ankara.

Adnan Turani, in addition to painting, also engaged in lithography and wall painting, completing various sgraphitos.
From 1964 till 1966 he published the periodical “Arts and the Artist”.

As a writer and researcher his works are as follows:
The Real aspects of the Art of Modern Painting;
Dictionary of Fine Arts Terms (Toplum Yayınevi and Remzi Kitapevi);
Dictionary of Fine Arts (Türk Dil Kurumu)
About Painting (Toplum Yayınevi);
The History of World Art (İş Bankası, Remzi Kitapevi)
The Philosophy of Contemporary Arts (Varlık Yayınevi ve Remzi Kitapevi)
The Turkish Art of Painting towards the Western Concept (İş Bankası Publication and Remzi Kitapevi);
Geometry in Painting, (İş Bankası Publication);
Encyclopedia of Arts – Second Volume ((Bateş Publication);
“The Approaches of Abstract Painting in Turkey” chapter of the book “Turkish Painting” by co-writers and published in French, German and English languages;
“Die Türkische Maler” Article in the catalogue for a Turkish exhibition opened in Germany (İş Bankası Yayınları);
Zeki Faik Izer Monography (Eylem 80 Yayınları)

In two occasions the artist received the State Painting Prize, and was elected as the Artist of the Year in 1992. He received the Sedat Simavi Prize in 1993. In 1996 the International Association on Plastic Arts conferred on him the Honorary prize. In 1998 The Anatolian University in Eskişehir conferred on him the honorary doctorate due to his services rendered in the subject of plastic arts in Turkey. In 1990 he received the “Hacettepe Arts Prize” due to his activities in Arts and publications. In 2001 the Foundation of Contemporary Artists conferred on him their Honorary Prize.

While his works have secured places both in private and public collections in Turkey, other International establishments displaying his works are as follows:

Musee L‘art Moderne, Tel Aviv;
Amman Royal Museum of Fine Art; Jordan;
Museum of Ben Gray Foundation, Illinois;
Carpi Museum of Xylographie;
Bronx Museum of New York