Tankut Öktem
Encyclopedia
Professor Doctor Tankut Öktem (b. 1940 in Konya
- d. 5 December 2007 in İstanbul
) was a Turkish sculptor famous in Turkey
especially for his monumental works.
in sculpture and painting and he concentrated on the former discipline after his enrollment in the ceramics
branch of İstanbul Fine Arts School. While at the third grade of the school, he received the first prize in a World Contest for Young Sculptors. He completed his education in Germany at Porzellanfabrik Schönwald
in 1962.
in 1983.
He made himself well-known in Turkey after the 1970s especially with monumental works which had Atatürk or the Turkish War of Independence
as theme and which are remarkable especially with their high number of figurines. In 1999, he was accorded the title State Artist
by the Turkish government.
Konya
Konya is a city in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. The metropolitan area in the entire Konya Province had a population of 1,036,027 as of 2010, making the city seventh most populous in Turkey.-Etymology:...
- d. 5 December 2007 in İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
) was a Turkish sculptor famous in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
especially for his monumental works.
Early Years
He was born in Konya in 1940 and his childhood was spent moving from one location in Turkey to another following the successive assignments of his parents who were veterinaries employed within the state. By his teens, he was already recognized as a child prodigyChild prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
in sculpture and painting and he concentrated on the former discipline after his enrollment in the ceramics
Ceramic art
In art history, ceramics and ceramic art mean art objects such as figures, tiles, and tableware made from clay and other raw materials by the process of pottery. Some ceramic products are regarded as fine art, while others are regarded as decorative, industrial or applied art objects, or as...
branch of İstanbul Fine Arts School. While at the third grade of the school, he received the first prize in a World Contest for Young Sculptors. He completed his education in Germany at Porzellanfabrik Schönwald
Schönwald, Bavaria
Schönwald is a municipality in the district of Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated near the border with the Czech Republic, five km northwest of Selb and 18 km southeast of Hof....
in 1962.
Career
He became an assistant in 1965 and pursued an arts teacher's career in the same institution where he had done his studies and which became a faculty of Marmara UniversityMarmara University
Marmara University is a public university in Turkey. Situated in Istanbul, Marmara University has succeeded in becoming the second largest university in the whole country...
in 1983.
He made himself well-known in Turkey after the 1970s especially with monumental works which had Atatürk or the Turkish War of Independence
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence was a war of independence waged by Turkish nationalists against the Allies, after the country was partitioned by the Allies following the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I...
as theme and which are remarkable especially with their high number of figurines. In 1999, he was accorded the title State Artist
State Artist
State Artist is a honorary title issued to artists by the government of Turkey for their contributions into the Turkish culture. It was established in 1971 by President of Turkey and the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism....
by the Turkish government.