Nazan Erkmen: Turkish Artist Who Lives Among World Illustrators: Life - Works - Art

This study contains the lifestory, the career and the art of Prof. Dr. Nazan Erkmen. She was born in 1945 in Balıkesir. She was the first elected woman dean of Faculty of Fine Arts in Marmara University between 2006 and 2012, where she also studied Graphic Design when the faculty was called State College of Applied Arts in 1982. From 2011 till 2014 and in 2017 she had been dean of Faculty of Art and Design in Doğuş University. The artist, who is specialised on illustration, is known for her illustrations on books. Between 1989 and 2006, she has illustrated more than 100 books for children and adults, such as “Epic of Gilgamesh”, “The Book of Dede Korkut”, “Omar Khayyam Poems”, “Bir Bennu’dur İstanbul”. Beside these; with her illustrations “Karıncanın Anıları”,” Kör Kedi ve Sevdalı Fare”,” İstanbul Efsaneleri” and “Kuşun Kanadında” of Cengiz Bektaş were published. Numerous book covers, posters, magazines, poetry and tales were illustrated by her. In 1998 and 2000 she was selected for “Selected World Illustrators Biennale” in Japan and Slovakia. The stamps as series of “International Intercept Stamps, Tales and Epics Series”, “Atatürk” and “23 Nisan” were published which include illustrations of Erkmen. Nazan Erkmen was well known abroad as much as in Turkey. She was named one of the “Selected World Illustrators with the award given at Eastern Europe Illustration Biennale. She attended as jury to Poland Painting Biennale in 2009, Pilsen IV. Painting Biennale Czech Republic in 2010, Skopje International Poster Contest in 2010 ; in 2011 and 2012 to Poland, Skopje and Pilsen Biennale’s. Lately she was awarded Bungei Award with her works “Scream” and “Sorrow” at ArtTurkey Japan in 2017 which was organised by Japanese Art Center 7th time. Prof. Dr. Nazan Erkmen, the member of Illustrators’ Community, UPSD, Child Literature Research Association, Görsav Visual Arts Association, a member of Women’s Library and Information Center Foundation general assembly and dean of Faculty of Art and Design at Doğuş University has passed away on 16 October 2017 due to heart attack. From beginning to end, our study is to show the successful career and the artworks of Nazan Erkmen.

Keywords

Nazan Erkmen: Turkish Artist Who Lives Among World Illustrators: Life - Works - Art