Marmara University

Marmara University (Turkish Marmara Üniversitesi) is a public university in Turkey. Situated in Istanbul, Marmara University has succeeded in becoming the second largest university in the whole country. The University's mission is to impart and promote knowledge and values consistent with universal standards, to meet the technological, social and cultural challenges of a global society, to contribute to the creation of an informed society, which learns about and shares this knowledge and values and to emphasize the European dimension in the delivery of educational opportunities. The present Rector (US:University President) of Marmara University is Prof. Dr. Necla Pur since July 2006.

History

Marmara University is an institution with roots extending back into the 19th century when the Hamidiye College of Higher Commercial Education was established in the Cagaloglu district of Istanbul on January 16, 1883. At the time, it was the only leading higher education institution for studies in commerce and economics. From 1923 to 1959, the college was called the Higher Education School of Economics and Commerce and became the Istanbul Academy of Economic and Commercial Sciences in 1959. Marmara University was formally established in 1982, when the Istanbul Academy of Economic and Commercial Sciences was consolidated with several schools of higher education offering undergraduate-level study in medicine, dentistry, law, and fine arts. To these were added faculties of arts and sciences, education, and a school of foreign languages to provide a full complement of university courses.

Ismail Acar's Biography

He was born in Sivas-Susehri in 1971.

He attended the Istanbul University Psychology Program in 1987.

He attended the Marmara University Fine Arts Faculty Painting Program in 1988.

He graduated from M.U. Fine Arts Faculty, Prof. Ergin Inan Studio in the first rank in 1992.

He gave his Technology and Art Postmodernism thesis in 1993 (M.U. Fine Arts Faculty, Prof. Ergin Inan Studio).

He began the M.U. Fine Arts Faculty doctorate program in 1993 and in the same year he began to open individual exhibitions leaving his academic career half finished

Some exhibitions, which he participated in between 1991-1994 are the following:

1991 International M.U. Symposium.

1991 Exhibition for the benefit of homeless children (State Fine Arts Gallery)

1992 His exhibition with DYO competition. Achievement Award.

1992-93 Current Artists Exhibition State Painting Statue museum

1993 Gar Art Gallery, Ankara 1993 Derimod Art Gallery, Istanbul

1994 Youth and Art Gallery, Istanbul 1994 BP Exhibition, Istanbul

1994 Traditional Form (2) Topkapэ Palace 1994 Q Jazz Section Зэraрan Palace, Istanbul

1994 Yerebatan Palace, he performed Ayairini Traditional Form (3) Exhibition in 1994.

He received many special lessons and he studied projects between 1992 and 1995. He received lessons from and studied wall painting with Prof. M.Plevneli, gravure and printing with Prof. T.Erdoрmus, wood press with Prof. Mustafa Aslэer, pattern with Prof. B. Cimsir Ali, Turkish Art with Prof. O.Aslan Apa, Art Sociology with Prof. Nermi Uрur, design with Prof. M.Цzer, Byzantium Art with Prof. Semavi Egice, Aesthetics Art with Prof. Ismail Tunalэ, calligraphy and decoration illumination with Mr.Sarkis. He performed wall practice projects with Prof.H.Koзan. He studied exhibition preparation with David Salle.

Some of his Domestic and Abroad exhibitions and activities between 1993-2002; Ankara,Istanbul,Antalya, Izmir, Sivas, London, Chicago, (Art Institute) New York ( Stephen Gong Gallery, Studio 44 Project) USA. Paris (instit & Franзais ) Cannes (Gallerie Eforco) France. Madrid (Fundacim pensiones) Spain. Milan (Padigliem D'Arte) Italy. Munich (Gallery Tanit) Germany exhibitions. Furthermore, he performed an art exhibition in 1999 in Hagia Sophia museum for the first time in its 1600-year-old history. 350,000 people saw this art exhibition. It was the largest turn out for an art exhibition in all of Turkey.

Ismail Acar and Hagia Sofia were the subjects of a documentary film prepared by Executive Serpil Boydak in 1999. Ismail Acar worked on the preparation of the Hagia Sofia and Imaginary projections exhibition with Prof. Semavi Egice. He participated in more than 150 exhibitions between 1992-2001. He has prepared 54 individual exhibitions. He painted the worldwide biggest open-air wall art project in Antalya Kas port in 2000. The work is named Clean Nature Clean World. It is 350m in length and it can be seen from a 5km distance. The artist handles subjects of Kaftans, the Three Istanbul Eras (Byzantium, Ottoman, Republic), Hagia Sophia, Pomegranate, Calligraphy, the National Struggle of Women, Sultan Portraits, Byzantium, Gods and Kings of Anatolia in the triangle of time, history and geography in his work..

The artist held exhibitions in Geneva, Prague and Saint Tropez in 2001.

He performed his 41st individual exhibition named "Meeting" in Galata of Mevlevi dervishes in 2002. He performed his Exhibitions in Davos, Switzerland in January 2003, and Tokyo, Japan in February 2003. His exhibitions were displayed in the New York Art Expo from 27 February to 03 March 2003. His 50th Individual exhibition titled Porcelain Kingdoms was performed in Toprak art gallery in 2004. His work was shown in an international mixed exhibition in Bahrain in May 2004

Works of the artist are found in museums, special collections and galleries in all European countries, America, Canada, Mexico, all of the Arabian peninsula, Russia, Moldovia, Ukraine, all Turkish Republics, China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. The artist currently lives in Istanbul.

Ismail Acar has been donating one part of the income of all his exhibitions that he performs since 2001 to foundations and institutions that are active for the purpose of social assistance.