Fikri CANTÜRK'S BACKGROUND
Born in the village Karalar, Ankara, Fikri CANTÜRK completed his primary education attending the school “E?itmenli” in his home town for the first three years and Hasano?lu Village Institute Application Primary School for the remaining two years. He graduated from Hasano?lu Village Institute in 1952. In the same year he was appointed to Koparan Village Primary School, which is nearby Ankara as the “School Principle”. He attended the Department of Painting, Gazi Institution of Education in 1954 and in 1957 he won his degree. In 1957, he was appointed to Van-Emis (Alparslan) Teacher Training School. In 1958 he started Officer Cadet School. From 1958 to 1959, he completed his military service as a reserve officer in Mersin Petty Officer School. He worked as a teacher in Be?ikdüzü Girls Teacher Training School from 1959 to 1960, in Trabzon High School in 1961 and in Ordu-Per?embe Teacher Training School from 1962 to 1965.

He was sent to France by the Ministry of Education in1965. During 1965 and 1966, he did some research, investigation and works of art in Paris. In the same years he made some studies in Dijon Teacher Training School and with a couple of friends opened an exhibition in Dijon University making Turkey both touristic and culturally known and this drew the attention of Dijon people dramatically.

When he was back in Turkey in 1967, he was appointed to Kütahya Girls’ Teacher Training School, and worked there as the chief of the workshop and the chief of education. In 1970, Mr. Cantürk was appointed to Samsun Institute of Education, where took part in the foundation of the Department of Painting and worked there as the head of the department for 10 years. In 1983, he earned his Bachelor’s degree from the Department of Painting, which was later joined to 19 May?s University.

From 1985 to 1988 he worked in Hacettepe University Fine Arts Faculty as a part-time academician.

He became an associate professor in 1987 and made a comeback to work for the Department of Painting in Faculty of Education, Anadolu University. In 1992, he was appointed as the head of the Department and worked there until his retirement. He became the professor in 1993. Mr. Cantürk, who retired in 1997, is still working in his studio in Eski?ehir.

As well as focusing on painting recently, Mr. CANTÜRK has not only been concerned with sculpture but also literature. Among his sculpture studies “ATATURK MONUMENT” in the gardens of Kütahya Girls’ Teacher Training School(1967) and Atatürk Primary School (1968)can be pointed out.

HIS PUBLISHED ARTICLES AND BOOKS

• Ninety-nine Pigeons and One Olive, (Poems) 1961,
• My Hands (Poems) 1963,
• Fundamental Problems in Plastic Arts, Anadolu University Publications. 1993,
• Introduction to Arts and Esthetics (The Publication he was the Editor of) Anadolu University Publications 1993.
• Slums- Homes of Misery -1962, (Milliyet Newspaper article contest organized in the name for Ali Naci Karacan)
• Analysis of Sait Faik Stories (Research Article prepared with Güven Kalafat), Varl?k Periodical, Issue: 604 155 August 1963
SELECTIONS FROM THE COLLECTIONS HIS WORKS of ART ARE IN
Ankara Painting and Sculpture Museum, Denizli, Mersin Painting and Sculpture Museum, Anadolu University Museum of Modern Arts, Ministry of Culture, TRT, Ziraat, ??, Halk Bank, DYO, Presidency of General Staff Collections. Apart from all these, he has many works of art in official and private collections both in Turkey and in abroad.

SOME OF THE EXHIBITIONS HE PARTICIPATED IN
In Turkey;
State Painting and Sculpture Exhibitions
DYO Exhibitions
Exhibitions of the society of United Artists and Sculpture
Exhibitions of the Artist graduated from Teacher Training Institute
Many others including the Exhibitions by the group Art Again 2000

In Abroad;
5th, 7th and 11th Monaco The Modern Plastic Arts Exhibition
The 3rd Biennial by Balkan Peace and Friendship District as representative of Turkey in 1982
Exhibitions organized in Germany, Austria, Kuwait, as representative of Turkey
The year of Japan and Turkey, Examples from Contemporary Turkish Painting in 2003

THE AWARDS RECEIVED
1975 “Special Jury Award” in the 5th DYO Exhibition
1976 The award of achievement in the 37th State Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
1977 “Mention of Honor” in the 11th DYO Exhibition
1982 The award of achievement in the 41st State Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
1981 Award for the First-Runner-Up in the Competition Organized by the Ministry of Culture on the subject “The War of Independence and The Revolutions of Atatürk” on the 100th anniversary of Atatürk’ s Birthday
1985 Award in the 19th DYO Exhibition
1986 “The Mention of Honor” in the Competition Organized by the Turkish Grand National Assembly on the Subject “National Sovereignty and Peace”
1987 the award of achievement in the 48th State Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
1987 The mention of Honor in the TAPO Atatürk the 6th Painting Competition
2002 Gazi University, 75 Years in Education “Plate of Honor”
2007 Eski?ehir Art Association, “Art Incentive Reward”
2010 Eski?ehir Art Association, “Reward of Exertion in Art”

SOME OF THE EXHIBITIONS HELD

1963 Poetry Exhibition visually and audibly supported- SAMSUN
1965 Poetry Exhibition visually and audibly supported- ORDU
1970 State Gallery of Fine Arts- ANKARA
1986 Mige Art Gallery- ANKARA
1987 Doku Art Gallery- ANKARA
1988 Dönü?üm Art Gallery- ANKARA
1991 Armoni Art Gallery- ANKARA
1993 Emlak Bank Art Gallery- ANKARA
1993 Palet Art Gallery- ISTANBUL
1999 Doku Art Gallery- ANKARA
1999 Boyut Art Gallery- ANKARA
2000 Gallery Soyut- ANKARA
2001 Gallery Soyut- ANKARA
2002 Sergi Art Gallery- ANKARA
2003 Skala Art Gallery- ESK??EHIR
2003 Istanbul Security Exchange Art Gallery- ANKARA
2003 Soyut Art Gallery- ANKARA
2004 ?MKB Ankara Art Galery, ANKARA
2004 Art Fair (AKM), ?STANBUL
2005 Art Fair (AKM), ANKARA
2005 Ege Art (AKM), ?ZM?R
2006 State Gallery of Fine Arts- ESKISEHIR
2007 Gallery Soyut- ANKARA
2007 Vestel Art Gallery, ESK??EH?R
2008 Gallery G&G- ANKARA
2010 Gallery G&G- ANKARA
2011 Gallery G&G- ANKARA

Portfolio: