{{Short description|Turkish artist (1927–2011)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox artist | honorific_prefix = | name = Emel Say | honorific_suffix = | image = <!-- use the image's pagename; do not include the "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and do not use brackets--> | image_size = | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different than name --> | birth_date = 1927 | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|2011|02|17|1927|df=y}} | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|type:landmark|display=inline}} --> | residence = | education = | alma_mater = | known_for = Painting | notable_works = | style = Miniature | movement = | spouse = {{unbulleted list|{{marriage|Reşat Mursaloğlu| 1948|1957|reason=divorced}}}} | partner = | awards = <!-- {{awd|award|year|title|role|name}} (optional) --> | elected = | patrons = | memorials = | website = | module = {{Infobox person |child=yes | children = 3 }} }}
'''Emel Say''' (1927 – 17 February 2011) was a Turkish painter. She was the daughter of painter Zehra Say and the aunt of pianist Fazıl Say.<ref name="annemZehra"/><ref name=Yilmaz/>
==Life== Emel Say was born in 1927.{{sfn|Cengiz|2014|p=39}} Her grandfather was a politician, who left the Committee of Union and Progress and opened a dance hall. Her mother Zehra Say was the first woman in modern Turkey to be married at an official wedding.<ref name="ESAK"/><ref name="face"/> Emel's mind was always on music. When she was fifteen, she received singing classes from Professor Carl Ebert, who had established the Ankara Conservatory. At first, Emel Say wanted to be an opera artist, but she changed her mind when she fell in love with a piece of land in Hatay, southern Turkey. She had to put her interest in music on hold when she married. Her husband Fuat Say, unlike the tolerance that Fuat Say had shown her mother Zehra, did not send Emel to school, nor was this really possible in Hatay at the time. Raising her three sons was the only thing she did until she divorced her husband when she was 30 years old.
After her divorce, her interest in music did not come to fruition; her mother got sick, so she had to focus on getting a job and income. She started her work life as the secretary of Fuat Bezmen. She worked for him for around ten years.<ref name=NEWS_Milliyet3/>
She worked in the United States for about five years.{{sfn|Cengiz|2014|p=39}}
When her mother, the famous painter Zehra Say, went into the later stages of Alzheimer's disease, she was no longer able to continue painting. Zehra made her daughter Emel promise to finish her painting ''Maui Adası'' (Island of Maui), which she had started to paint from a postcard Emel had brought back from a trip to Hawaii. She did not know how she could paint. At first, she cried but then she tried to paint and from that point on did not stop. She completed her mother's painting and it was displayed at an exhibition at the Çiçek Bar. There she was discovered by the sculptor Gürdal Duyar who at first asked what had happened to ''Maui Adası'', and then when Emel told him that her mother had insisted she finish it, she tried at it. Duyar expressed to her that she was a natural talent and had been a painter within all along. If it was not for this reassuring encounter she may not have gone into painting at all in her life. She started painting after the age of 60.<ref name="kelebek"/>
Together with Duyar, who became a close friend of hers and other friends and family, she would often work on paintings and listen to music together late into the night. One of these nights, Duyar made a portrait for one of Fazıl's musician friends starting at midnight and finishing towards the morning as recalled by this friend of Fazıl's.<ref name=Yilmaz/>
Say died in 2011.{{sfn|Yılmaz|2022}}
==Art== She was a student in the studio of the painter Osman Özal.<ref name="Foca"/><ref name="BRLR"/> She, together with the other (former) students, would meet on Wednesdays at the İzmir Art and Sculpture Museum, and work in the studio there. They became known as the "Group Wednesday", and held collaborative exhibitions.<ref name=IHLAS/><ref name=SonSoz/><ref name=ChumGaleri2/>
She and Duyar had exhibitions at the CEP Gallery in the time period between 1977 and 1990.<ref name="CEP"/>
In 1995, her work, along with the work of Gürdal Duyar, was exhibited in the grand opening exhibition of the Asmalımescit Art Gallery.<ref name="Asmali"/><ref name=Ayd1/>
===Technique=== She made many miniatures. One of the techniques she often used was using two different types of paint in the same painting, acrylic and gouache.<ref name="WEBblog"/>
==Exhibitions== * Emel Say painting exhibition, Underground Art Gallery (till 20 May 1992)<ref name=CumhuriyetGaleri/> * Asmalımescit Art Gallery grand opening exhibition (1995)<ref name="Asmali"/> * Emel Say painting exhibition, Çatı Sanatevi (till 7 May 2000)<ref name=Milliyet1/> * Emel Say painting exhibition, Underground Art Gallery (till 21 May 2004)<ref name="WEBblog"/> * 9th exhibition, Çiçek Bar (till 18 December 2004)<ref name="kelebek"/><ref name="issu"/> * Mixed Exhibition of works by Osman Özals students, Dr. Selahattin Akçiçek Culture and Art Center in Konak, İzmir (till 15 April 2012)<ref name="Foca"/><ref name="BRLR"/><ref name=IHLAS/> but extended?<ref name=Yeniasir/><ref name=ChumGaleri2/><ref name=SonSoz/>
==Friends and family== She is proud of how her mother, Zehra Say, even after her marriage, went to school and became an art teacher, which was quite an accomplishment at that time. She is also proud of her father Fuat Say for supporting his wife, her mother. Say's uncle's grandson, Fazıl Say, did make a career of his musical talent. When talking about him, she said that he is "A Genius!", "When he was just four years old, his mother had bought a small organ, like a toy... Fazıl started to play the songs on the radio with this organ. How many times could a composer the likes of him come to this Earth!"<ref name="kelebek"/>
She became friends with the poet and writer Gülsüm Cengiz around after her time in the United States.{{sfn|Cengiz|2014|p=39}} He was visiting her and Zehra at their home and they continued in conversation late into the night, and they learned about the 1960 military coup towards the morning after someone was banging on the door and they turned on the radio.{{sfn|Cengiz|2014|p=60-360}}
She was also close friends with Gürdal Duyar, and they had exhibitions together.<ref name=Yilmaz/>
==References== {{reflist|30em|refs= <ref name="kelebek">{{cite news |date=14 December 2004 |title=Yarım kalan ada tablosu tamamlandı |url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/kelebek/yarim-kalan-ada-tablosu-tamamlandi-38675611 |access-date=26 April 2018 |agency=Hürriyet }}</ref>
<ref name="ESAK">{{cite web |url=http://www.edebiyatvesanatakademisi.com/turk-ressamlar/zehra-say-2319.aspx |title=Zehra Say( 1906 İstanbul – 2004 ten sonra ) |author-link=Şahamettin Kuzucular |author=Şahamettin Kuzucular |date=16 September 2015 |website=edebiyatvesanatakademisi.com |access-date=26 April 2018 |archive-date=20 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420010533/http://www.edebiyatvesanatakademisi.com/turk-ressamlar/zehra-say-2319.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> <ref name="face">{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/fazilsay/photos/a.254720694573950.60674.223623704350316/1029050090474336/?type=3 |title=Fazıl Say |date=8 March 2016 |website=facebook.com/fazilsay |publisher=Fazıl Say |access-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref> <ref name=Yilmaz> {{cite news |last=Yılmaz |first=Tuncay |date=24 February 2011 |title=Yaşam ve devamı... |url=http://www.haberturk.com/yazarlar/tuncay-yilmaz/604221-yasam-ve-devami |language=tr |agency=Haber Turk |access-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref> <ref name="Foca"> {{cite web |url=http://www.focafoca.com/?sayfa=41&id=2283 |title=Çarşamba Grubu resim sergisi Konak’ta |date=4 April 2012 |website=focafoca.com |access-date=26 April 2018 }} </ref> <ref name="BRLR"> {{cite news | date = 3 April 2012 | title = Çarşamba Grubu, Yeni Resim Sergisi Açtı | url = https://www.haberler.com/carsamba-grubu-yeni-resim-sergisi-acti-3503501-haberi/ | location = İzmir | access-date = 27 April 2018 | agency = HABERLER.COM }} </ref> <ref name="issu"> {{cite magazine |quote=18 Aralik Cumartesi gunu Ressam Emel Say'in resim sergisi |date=December 2004 |title=Çiçek Bar Yirminci Yaşini Kutluyor|url=https://issuu.com/bilmiyore/docs/2004_148_9661 |magazine=tiyatro |issn=1300-7963 |issue=148 |access-date=26 April 2018 |page=62 }} </ref> <ref name="Asmali">{{cite web |url= http://asmalimescitartgallery.com/ |title= Asmalimescit Art Gallery |date= 2017 |website= asmalimescitartgallery.com |publisher= Asmalimescit Art Gallery |access-date= 26 April 2018 |quote= Asmalımescit Sanat Galerisi 1995 yılında kurulmuş olup ilk sergisini Heyleltraş Gürdal Duyar ve Ressam Emel Say ikilisiyle sanatseverlere kapısını açmıştır. Galeri ismini, İstanbul'un kültür ve sanat merkezi olan Pera olarak adlandırılan bölgenin bulunduğu yerden almaktadır. |archive-date= 7 March 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210307044501/http://asmalimescitartgallery.com/ |url-status= dead }}</ref> <ref name="annemZehra"> {{cite magazine |last=Say |first=Emel |date=November 1987 |title=Annem Zehra Say |magazine=Sanat çevresi |location=İstanbul |issue=109 |page=6 }} </ref> <ref name=Milliyet1> {{cite news |last=Tekelioğlu |first=Gaye |date=24 April 2000 |title=Ajanda |url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2000/04/24/sanat/sanz2.html |agency=Milliyet |access-date=26 April 2018 |quote=Çatı Sanatevi 7 Mayıs'a dek Emel Say resim sergisi. }}</ref> <ref name=IHLAS> {{cite news |date=3 April 2012 |title=ÇARŞAMBA GRUBU, YENİ RESİM SERGİSİ AÇTI |url= http://www.iha.com.tr/izmir-haberleri/carsamba-grubu-yeni-resim-sergisi-acti-izmir-95538/ |agency= İhlas News Agency |access-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref> <ref name=NEWS_Milliyet3> {{cite news |last=Yılmaz |first=Serpil |title=Fuat Bezmen’in 100’üncü yılında "güzel ve çirkin" öyküsü |url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/Yazar.aspx?aType=YazarDetayPrint&ArticleID=1090869 |agency=Milliyet |access-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref> <ref name="CEP"> {{cite web |url=http://www.cepgallery.com/contemporary-exhibitions-past-archive.html |title=1977–1990 |website= cepgallery.com |publisher=CEP Gallery |access-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref> <ref name=Yeniasir> {{cite news |date=26 April 2012 |title=İzmir Film Festivali devam ediyor |url=https://www.yeniasir.com.tr/izmir/2012/04/26/izmir-film-festivali-devam-ediyor |agency= Yeni Asır |location=İzmir |access-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref> <ref name="WEBblog"> {{cite web |url=http://selinugurtezhipveminyatur.blogspot.com/2014/11/minyatur-miniature.html |title=MİNYATÜR (MINIATURE) |author=Selin Ugur Tezhip ve Minyatür |date=23 November 2014 |website=selinugurtezhipveminyatur.blogspot.com |access-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref> <ref name=CumhuriyetGaleri> {{cite news |date=4 May 1992 |title=Emel Say'ın resim sergisi L'nderground Sanat Galerisi'nde 21 mayısa dek sürecek |url=http://www.cumhuriyetarsivi.com/katalog/192/sayfa/1992/5/4/11.xhtml |page=11 |agency=Cumhuriyet |access-date=26 April 2018 |quote=Emel Say'ın resim sergisi L'nderground Sanat Galerisi'nde 21 mayısa dek sürecek. }}</ref> <ref name=Ayd1> {{cite news |last=Akyol |first=Muzaffer |date=30 November 2016 |title=Asmalımescit’in sanat emekçisi ‘Cep İsmail’i yitirdik |url=https://www.aydinlik.com.tr/kultur-sanat/2016-kasim/asmalimescit-in-sanat-emekcisi-cep-ismail-i-yitirdik |agency=Aydınlık |access-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref> <ref name=ChumGaleri2> {{cite news |date=2 April 2012 |title=SERGİ – İZMİR |url=http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/diger/331786/Haftanin_Sanat_Cizelgesi_2_Nisan-_8_Nisan.html |agency= Cumhuriyet |location= Izmir |quote= Konak Belediyesi Selahattin Akçiçek Kültür Merkezi’nde Figen Onat, Zeynep Türkileri, Tülay Baytosun, Emel Say, Özgül Evren Atasoy, Hüseyin Çaygül, Funda Yalçın, Fatma Atagan, Erengül Mülayim’in çalışmalarından oluşan karma resim sergisi izlenimde. |access-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref> <ref name=SonSoz> {{cite news |date=12 April 2012 |title=Egede Son Söz |url=http://www.egedesonsoz.com/haber/iste-izmir-in-kultur-sanat-ve-etkinlik-rehberi/815618 |agency= Egede Son Söz |location=Izmir |access-date=26 April 2018 }}</ref> }}
==Sources== {{refbegin}} * {{cite book |last=Cengiz |first=Gülsüm |author-link=:tr:Gülsüm Cengiz |date=2014 |title=Ağaçlar Çiçekteydi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6NY_AwAAQBAJ&dq |language=tr |publisher=Evrensel Basım Yayın |isbn=6054834932}}{{ISBN|9786054834938}} * {{Cite news |last=Yılmaz |first=İhsan |date=7 September 2022 |title=İdil Biret büstü nasıl bulundu |trans-title=How was the bust of İdil Biret found? |agency=Hürriyet |url=https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/yazarlar/ihsan-yilmaz/idil-biret-bustu-nasil-bulundu-42133072 |access-date=9 September 2022}} {{refend}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Say, Emel}} Category:1927 births Category:2011 deaths Category:20th-century Turkish painters Category:21st-century Turkish painters Category:21st-century Turkish women painters Category:20th-century Turkish women painters