Istanbul Manifaturacılar Bazaar, shortly known as İMÇ, is one of the examples of Istanbul’s modern architecture, and it is also renowned for the works of art it houses. The building, the first part of which construction was completed in 1967, and the second in 1968, is in use today quite intensely.
Türkiye’s contemporary Republican period’s art works which were located in the open areas of İMÇ, and which have been adversely affected by the weather conditions throughout their long years of exposure were cleaned up on May 17, 2008 within the scope of our Project for Cleaning Works of Art at İMÇ.
As a result of the cleaning work, carried out by Private Sector Volunteers Association, Yapı Kredi Bank’s Tangram Team, Cultural Awareness Foundation volunteers and restoration specialists, 9 works of arts, including sculptures, paintings, murals, and mosaic panels, regained their original magnificent beauty. Plates bearing the name of each art work and its creator were fitted at a suitable place nearby each work.
The cleaned artworks were inaugurated at a ceremony on June 10, 2007 with the participation of Cumhur Güven Taşbaşı, the Deputy Istanbul Governor responsible for culture, executives of the CAF, the Tangram Team, İMÇ executives and participating volunteers.
The works of art cleaned by the project team are as follows:
- "Birds – Abstract Compositon” / Kuzgun Acar (1928 - 1976)
- "Füreyya 1969” / Füreyya Koral (1910 - 1997)
- "Eren Eyüboğlu 1965” / Eren Eyüboğlu (1907 - 1988)
- "Decorative Pool Plastic” / Yavuz Görey (1912 - 1995)
- "Sadi Diren 1967 – Abstract Composition” / Sadi Diren (1927 - 2018)
- "Horses – Nedim Günsür 1967” / Nedim Günsür (1924 - 1994)
- "Abstract Composition 1965” / Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu (1911 - 1975)
- "Istanbul – Abstract Composition 1965” / Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu (1911 - 1975)
- "Abstract Composition" / Ali Teoman Germaner (1934 - 2018)
The cleaning work conducted within the framework of the Project is referred to in the book “İmeceden İMÇ’ye” published in 2009 by the İMÇ administration covering the history of the bazaar, and the importance attached to the artswork in the building.