Bringing different disciplines together to explore cultural diversity, the exhibition “7 Continents 7 Roosters: Good Morning to the Children of the World” enters into a visual and aural harmony with toys from the Istanbul Toy Museum collection and offers a chance to reflect on the beauty of inclusiveness. Created with the seven continents and their cultures as its starting point, the exhibition invites art lovers to discover the continents through the works of Mehmet Güleryüz in the museum’s different rooms.
The exhibition is based on the children’s book “Good Morning to the Children of the World”, written by Esma Ertel and illustrated with drawings that came “from a friend’s drawer”. These drawings by Mehmet Güleryüz meet the public for the first time in this exhibition.
The timeless, borderless story of the book Good Morning to the Children of the World gives children information about different cultures, highlights the richness that diversity creates and shows children why this matters.
Bringing painting and literature together on common ground, the multidisciplinary exhibition “7 Continents 7 Roosters: Good Morning to the Children of the World” also gives its visitors an aural experience with music that Esma and Murat Ertel made collectively with artists from around the world, using instruments from many cultures.
Opening to visitors on 23 April National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, the exhibition aims to raise awareness of children’s rights, cultural rights, and freedom of conscience and thought, regardless of language, religion or race.
The exhibition, where painting, literature and music meet, can be seen at the Istanbul Toy Museum from 22 April to 11 June.
Because of the pandemic, the opening of the 7 Continents 7 Roosters: Good Morning to the Children of the World exhibition on Wednesday 21 April will take place online, on the @istanbuloyuncakmuzesi Instagram account.
Exhibition Programme
17:00 - 17:30 Opening Speeches
17:35 - 17:50 Concert - Mavi Güneş 69
Mehmet Güleryüz
He was born in Istanbul in 1938.
He entered the Painting Department of the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts in 1958 and graduated top of his class in 1966. Alongside the Academy, he trained as an actor at various actors’ studios and leading amateur theatres. In 1963 he began his professional acting career at the Arena Theatre, directed by Asaf Çiğiltepe.
He held his first solo exhibition, mainly of drawings, in 1963. From 1970 to 1975 he did advanced studies in painting and lithography in Paris on a state scholarship. In 1971 he showed his first sculptures, made in Paris, in two performances on the Pont des Arts. He held solo exhibitions at GalerieThérèse Roussel (Perpignan) in 1971, at Galerie Luszpinski (Paris) in 1972 and, in 1974, again at Galerie Thérèse Roussel (Perpignan), at Galerie Philippe Demay (Paris) and at Galerie Graffiti (Rouen). From 1975 to 1980 he taught at the Painting Department of the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts. In 1980 he resigned from this post and lived in New York from 1980 to 1984.
He held solo exhibitions at Galerie Thérèse Roussel (Perpignan) in 1980 and at Schlesinger Boissante Gallery (New York) in 1982. In 1984 he exhibited the sculptures and engravings he made that year at Galerie 2016 (Brussels). He returned to Istanbul in 1985. In 1987 he held another solo exhibition at Galerie 2016 (Brussels).
From 1985 to 2000 he taught art at the studio bearing his name at BİLSAK. In 1988 he opened his 25th Year Retrospective exhibition, organised by Galeri Nev, in Istanbul, together with a book with a text by Nan Freman.
From 1989 to 1992 he was Founding President of the International Association of Plastic Arts. In 2000 he was again elected President of the International Association of Plastic Arts Türkiye, in 2001 President for Eastern Europe, and in 2002 Second President of the merged IAA Europe and a member of the IAA World Executive Committee.
In 2003 he held his 40th Year Drawing Retrospective at the Yapı Kredi Kazım Taşkent Gallery.
In 2004 his biography, Güldüğüme Bakma, edited by Ayşegül Sönmezay, was published in the Nehir Söyleşi series of İş-Kültür Yayınları.
On 15 January 2009 he held his 50th Year Retrospective exhibition, prepared by İş Bankası, at Kibele Art Gallery, together with a book with a text by Wendy Shaw.
In 2011 he launched the “Mehmet Güleryüz Notebook Project”, which began with Edirne Fine Arts High School and later grew to include the other Fine Arts High Schools; the project has now reached its 10th year.
In 2014 his book of essays, Resmi geçit, edited by Ayşegül Sönmezay, was published by İş Kültür Yayınları.
In January 2015 a seven-month Retrospective exhibition covering his entire career opened at Istanbul Modern.
The exhibition “İçeriden” (From Within), made up of Mehmet Güleryüz’s latest works produced in Paris, was shown at Galerie Cyril Guernieri in Paris in 2018.
In 2019 the exhibition “Sızlanmalar Bahçesi” (Garden of Laments) opened at Galerie Cyril Guernieri in Paris.
Mehmet Güleryüz continues to live and work in Istanbul and Paris.
Esma Ertel
Born in Ankara in 1984, Esma Ertel began her professional music and dance career in Istanbul with the band BaBa ZuLa. Performing with bands such as Mavi Güneş 69, Otoji Ray, Eat Static, Compro Oro and Dirtmusic, she has appeared in many countries around the world, from Brazil to Japan, and at international festivals.
In Mavi Güneş 69, the band she founded with Murat Ertel, she revealed her songwriting talent as well as her dancing and vocals. She wrote the lyrics and music of the songs “3 Çember” and “Yafta” on their first 7-inch single, released in England. Together with Murat Ertel, she also co-wrote the lyrics and music of the song “Haller Yollar” on BaBa ZuLa’s album Derin Derin ( 2019).
Ertel, who plays the bendir and the theremin, has created work that combines different art disciplines and has worked as an art director, designer and curator. She made drawings on a work by Mengü Ertel for the Derin Derin album cover and was the album’s art director. She directed two videos for Dirtmusic and also designed the cover of the band’s album Live ( 2018). She was art director of the book Dostun Çekmecesinden - Mengü Ertel Koleksiyonundan Cihat Burak Eserleri (2019) and co-curated the Dostun Çekmecesinden exhibition with Oğuz Erten. With the Belgian acid jazz band Compro Oro and Murat Ertel, she recorded the concept album “Simurg”. (2020) After serving as art director of the album Anatolian Sun (2020) by the band Moğollar, she wrote her first children’s book, inspired by 16 works Mehmet Güleryüz made in 1968.(2021) Based on the book Good Morning to the Children of the World, she recorded an album together with musician friends who live on different continents of the world.
Murat Ertel
He was born in Istanbul, the only child of Ülfet and the international graphic artist Mengü Ertel. At an early age he began to draw, sculpt and compose, and later to write poetry and stories. He founded his first band, Mavi Güneş 69, at the age of 5. His pictures were printed when he was 6. He produced his first album, as a single copy on cassette, at 14. He still designs album covers and posters and continues to draw for various magazines.
Although he concentrates on the electric saz, he has played many instruments and sung his own compositions. A founding member of many bands, above all BaBa ZuLa, Ertel has performed his art all over the world, from India to Brazil, for 30 years, and makes music with, and works as a producer for, artists who inspired him in his youth, such as Jaki Liebezeit, Moğollar, Fred Frith, Semiha Berksoy and Mad Professor. He is married with two children.