ARTS-CULTURE cu-arts
Star sculptures to inspire children throughout Istanbul
ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News | 1/20/2011 12:00:00 AM |
UNICEF has announced a social responsibility project called 'Stars of Istanbul' to raise funds for needy children deprived of nutrition, health services, and education.
UNICEF has announced a social responsibility project called “Stars of Istanbul” to raise funds for needy children deprived of nutrition, health services, and education.
“Supported by real stars who are UNICEF goodwill ambassadors, the project will reflect the creativity of Turkish artists and will turn into an exhibition spread out over several Istanbul districts,” Nuri Çolakoğlu, the head of the organization committee, said Wednesday during a press meeting at the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Art, or İKSV.
The project will turn Istanbul streets into an open-air museum with hundreds of star-shaped sculptures representing beacons of success, hope and light, organizers said.
As part of the project, the stars will be designed in accordance with the tastes of the sponsoring companies. Caricaturist Erdil Yaşaroğlu, who is designing the first star to resemble a baby lion on behalf of the Galatasaray football club, said small children would be motivated to have a long-term interest in sculptures and paintings at galleries when they grow up if they were able to touch the sculptures.
The sculptures will be on display between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30. The works of art are designed not only to make a contribution to children’s futures in Turkey, but also to turn Istanbul into a more cheerful place to live by demonstrating that art need not only be found in galleries, according to one of the organizers.
“Thanks to this project, we will create a galaxy in Istanbul filled with art,” said Talat Halman, UNICEF Turkey’s national committee president. “We will help children who cannot attend school and are forced to beg on streets.” How the budget is specifically spent on children willbe determined toward the end of the project, Halman added.
Turkish UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and author Ayşe Kulin said the UNICEF Turkey team was supporting the beneficial project to help poor children.
“The world is not fair. There is not enough nutrition, water and vaccines. The cute, fairy-like stars shining in the streets will help children access education; the expenses will be met by companies,” she said.
“Following the street exhibition, the colorful star statues will be gathered for a major exhibition either at Sepetçiler Kasrı or the Haliç Congress Center in November. Subsequently, an auction will be held in December; the income earned will go to meet the demands of needy children,” said Çolakoğlu. After the auction, the sculptures will visit international cities such as New York and London.
Industrial designer Aziz Sarıyer said they were using the image of a five-cornered star for their project because it was a metaphor representing human beings and because stars signified success, luck and love.
“The point at the top symbolizes a human’s head and spiritualism, while the other four points represent a human’s arms and legs along with the basic elements of earth, air, fire and water. While designing this star form, I used the energy of the child inside me,” said Sarıyer.
Movie actress Türkan Şoray, theater actor Müjdat Gezen, pianist Gülsün Onay, basketball player İbrahim Kutluay and journalist and TV presenter Tayfun Talipoğlu are among the notable figures giving support to the UNICEF project.