Turkish Delight Meridian Shows Master Tekcanís Unique Process for Art by Gary Tischler On the surface, you canít get more specific than a title such as "Anatolian Impressions: Artists Prints From the Istanbul Studio of Master Tekcan," the name of the current exhibition at the Meridian International Center. The display, weaving its way through the first-floor halls of the Meridian Center in a glory of diversity, seems to speak to historical and artistic issues in Turkey, a country straddling modernity and ancient traditions. Itís also a tribute to the evolution of printmaking in Turkey and the major role played by Istanbul master printmaker S¸leyman Saim Tekcan, an internationally acclaimed Turkish artist and educator. Master Tekcan has developed a unique printmaking process that allows the making of original prints of the same work, a process that, along with Tekcanís reputation, has drawn artists from all over the country and the world to his Artess «amlica Studio in Istanbul. His modern, generous approach to printmaking has also helped to spread new techniques and gain a broader appreciation within Turkey of the art form. The exhibition is the fruition of a complicate d long-distance as well as up-close process among the Istanbul Museum of Graphic Arts, which houses a core collection of the prints made at Tekcanís studio, Meridian and Artess «amlica Studio. Some prints date back to 1940, although many have been produced by contemporary Turkish artists, including two of Tekcanís daughters. Printmaking is sometimes an art subject that gets itself tangled in technical issues, where the description of tools and the process receive an undue amount of attention. Certainly itís clear that Tekcan himself is critical of elevating the status of printmaking in Turkey, and elsewhere for that matter. But whatís equally important in the end is the work itself, and whatís interesting about this particular wide-ranging exhibition is that, although it is specific to Turkey, to Tekcan and his studio, itís diverse in its content, subject matter and genre. The works range from the totemicówith Tekcan himself as an exampleóto the humorous, to the abstract, to the purely lovely from artists that span three generations. Chief among these are examples of the "Horse and Inscription Series" done by Tekcan, who has put a modern veneer on what seem to be examples of traditional genres. His depictions of horses are sharply defined but also mythic in their final look, almost resembling scrapings recovered from some primeval cave. Other notable displays include three vivid silk screens by Avni Arbas, born in 1919, which establish a powerful force field, as well as an affective silk screen by Semih Balciouglu, which seems to have a whole city being pulled off into the night by balloons. Mehmet Pesenís light landscapes have a Japanese quality to them, fragile and beautiful, while Z¸ht¸ M¸ridoglu, probably the oldest artist represented hereóhe died at 86 in 1992óproduced free-flowing figures of women. Conversely, Mehmet Koyunogluís figures are action-packed and dramatic, and Turhan SelÁuksís sharply drawn silkscreen figures almost embody the essence of modern cartoons. Tekcanís daughters prove the charm and power of this exhibition. Elvan Tekcan Sahinoglu seemed to follow in the track of her father with her beautifully lit works that resemble freshly minted excavations of ancient times, while Eda Tekcan Tombaís work is more modern and sharp. Although "Anatolian Impressions" is very much an exhibition about Tekcan and printmaking in Turkey today, it also gives you a vivid impression about the diversity, variety and quality of Turkish art. "Anatolian Impressions: Artists Prints From the Istanbul Studio of Master Tekcan" runs through Jan. 23 at the Meridian International Center, 1624 Crescent Place, NW. The center is also featuring various Turkish-related programs, including a Turkish bazaar on Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m., featuring authentic rugs and crafts. For more information, please call (202) 939-5568 or visit www.meridian.org. Gary Tischler is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.