50th Anniversary of the Republic Sculptures
It was not easy for Turkish sculptors to show their work in public spaces between 1950 and 1960. There were not many types of sculptures (other than monuments) in Turkey until 1973. In May 1972, a committee in charge of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Republic held a meeting at the headquarters of the Governor of Istanbul. They wanted to have 50 sculptures made to celebrate the anniversary. But, because they didn't have enough money, they reduced it to 20. The committee chose 20 artists to make these sculptures. On 13 September 1973, the committee approved sketches and photographs sent by the 20 artists. This was an important event in the history of Turkish sculpture. For the first time, sculptors were able to create sculptures that were not monuments for public spaces. This supported the idea of modern sculpture in Turkey. The results of the project were 20 sculptures put up in public spaces in Istanbul. These sculptures were made by well-known sculptors, and were in their original style.