New English Original bdg. HC. 4to. (30 x 24 cm). In English and Turkish. 319 p., color ills. IMOGA: Istanbul Museum of Graphic Arts.= Istanbul Grafik Sanatlari Müzesi. Prep. by Ali Konyali. "IMOGA, owns one of the world's rare collection of prints, with more than 5000 prints made by owner 100 Turkish and foreign artists and with another 200 prints which were either donated or bought and included in the collection. By means of its vast collection and its impressive system, IMOGA has proven to be one of Turkey's leading art foundations and has acquired an important place in the art world. Süleyman Saim Tekcan started off as a young and idealist educator, fascinated with the potentials of printmaking. From the 1960s on, printmaking played a major part throughout his expedition in art. Tekcan's innovative and inquisitive character reflected on to his prints. As he mastered in the technique, he spread his excitement and enthusiasm not only by forcing the limits of printmaking but also by continuing his mission as an educator throughout the country. Süleyman Saim Tekcan believed that in order for Turkey to reach a civilized and modern standard, education could not be limited to schools and had to be given socially in an extensive manner. The most important criterion for a civilized community is the level attained in arts and culture. In order for art to reach a wide spectrum of people, accessibility in every sense is a must. With this in mind, Tekcan generously shared his facilities and accorded priority to printmaking since it enabled reproduction of a more affordable artwork, allowing it to reach a wider span of people. Tekcan not only played a role in the establishment of printmaking studios in universities but also founded the first professional private printmaking studio in 1974. He provided an important example for printmaking in Turkey, by building his own print machines with the help of the drawings he brought back from Germany. The studio which he initially intended for his own use soon became a center for many other artists. This not only enabled varied ranges and sizes of artworks to open up to the demand of a broader audience, but also made possible for other artists to learn and execute printmaking. In 1984, the studio was relocated to Çamlica with increased facilities, gaining its internationally recognized name: Artess Printmaking Studio... The artists, instead of paying a fee in return for using the facilities of the studio, left a portion of their prints to the studio, a system common in print foundations in the U.S. Tekcan's devotion to printmaking was based not only on the joy he had from the process, but also on his commitment to help develop his country economically, politically and practically. His studio soon evolved into a center in which artists came to exchange and discuss ideas, as well as to produce. Since 2004, Artess Printmaking Studio now has a new home.". (Source: IMOGA, History).
