Erdal ALANTAR (1932-2014)
Erdal Alantar was born in 1932 in Istanbul. He studied at the Beaux-Arts between 1949 and 1956. In 1958 he graduated from the Beaux-Arts of Florence and Rome. In 1959, he moved to Paris with his wife, Sevinç, a pianist. Exhibitions of his work continue to take place in Turkey, where he is considered one of the pioneers of abstraction. His work was very inspired by both Ottoman calligraphy and romantic music.
Away from what considered being “à la mode”, Alantar created a style that he called “romantic expressionist gesture”. Like Zao Wou-Ki, Alantar combined the richness of his personal culture with the development of a free and exceptionally creative thought.
His works sat new standards in the history of the School of Paris.
Main personal exhibitions : 1958 – Gallery Ponte Vecchio, Florence 1964 – Gallery de Beaune, Paris 1965 – Gallery L’angle aigu, Brussels 1966 – Gallery Al Veka, La Haye 1967 – Gallery Suzanne de Coninck, Paris 1973 – Gallery Kaptana, Istanbul 1974 – Gallery Daberkow, Francfort 1975 – Gallery Cumali, Istanbul 1976 – Gallery Cumali, Istanbul 1978 – Museum Merino, Monsheim, Germany 1980 – Bodrum Museum, Türkiye, 1981 – Gallery Plantin Moretus, Paris 1982 – Museum de Bodrum, Turquie 1985 – Gallery Destek, Istanbul 1987 – Gallery Passage, Paris 1989 – UNESCO, Paris 1990 – Museum Efes, Türkiye 2002 – Gallery Bynil Istanbul 2002 – Art Contemporary Space, la Visitation, Thonon