Hulda Festival is seen as a journey into art and science

"HULDA FESTIVAL" was opened on March 26, 2009 at "Moderna Museet" in Stockholm, with a cocktail arranged by Ilhan Koman Foundation, Moderna Museet and The Turkish Embassy in Stockholm.

"HULDA FESTIVAL" is a trip to art and science, with exhibition of the works of the world-renowned Turkish sculptor Ilhan Koman, in various European cities, 10 different workshops for the youth, International Competition for the Students, and activities in Istanbul, to celebrate its being the "Culture Capital of Europe – 2010."

In Stockholm, the festival takes place in Moderna Museet and in M/S HULDA , docked on the backside of Moderna Museet in Skeppsholmen, which is a schooner built in 1905 and renovated in 1965, after sculptor Ilhan Koman bought it and renovated and lived in it until his death in 1986, having docked it at the Royal Port at Drottningholm.

Ilhan Koman is a graduate of the Art Academy in Istanbul and taught sculpture at Stockholm Art Academy (Konstfackskolan) between 1959 and 1986. His greatly inspiring works of sculpture span a wide range of materials and methods and are in the collections of Moderna Museet (Stockhom), Musee d'Art Modern (Paris), Museo J. Battle (Montevideo), Museum of Modern Art (New York), National Museum of Painting and Sculpture (Istanbul), Palais International des Beaux-Art (Brussels), Seattle Art Museum, Bogazici University (Istanbul).

Ilhan Koman was influenced in his art, by Rodin, Giacometti and Brancusi and expects that "the content of art, like science, must be a result of a chain of events, where the last chain is always open for the newcomer." Koman's work has been exhibited also in EXPO 2000 Hannover, Istanbul, Italy, France, Germany, Portugal, Belgium, and Sweden.

After the HULDA FESTIVAL, M/S Hulda, will sail for further exhibitions in Amsterdam (May 8- 17, 2009) , Antwerpen ( May 29- June 7), Bordeaux (July 17-26), Lisboa Sep.4-13), Barcelona ( March 19-28, 2010), Napoli (May 7-16), Valetta (June 18-27), Thessaloniki (August 27-Sep 5), Istanbul (Sep 22-November 21)

This terrific organisation of exhibitions of Ilhan Koman's work and other activities has been achieved by Ilhan Koman Foundation with the co-operation of fourteen institutions in respective countries and the support of nine sponsors, the EU Commission being the main sponsor.

The festival will last until April 5, 2009.

Further information about the HULDA FESTIVAL can be obtained from:

Fany Elisa Torre
Ilhan Koman Foundation and Hulda Festival Coordinator
fany@koman.org

www.koman.org, www.modernamuseet.se

This article has been written by Askin Ozcan, author of six published books.