Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum (SSM), hosts a comprehensive exhibition consisting of the Catalan artist and sculptor Joan Miró, born in Barcelona. This exhibition, titled Joan Miró. Women, Birds and Stars focuses on the maturity period of the groundbreaking and versatile artist. The exhibition, sponsored by Sabancı Holding and organized in collaboration with the Joan Miró Foundation in Barcelona, the family collection  Successió Miró in Mallorca and the Pilar and Joan Miró Foundation again in Mallorca can be visited between 23 September 2014 and 1 February 2015. Focusing on the women, birds and stars themes of Miró, who was inspired by his observations on the Mediterranean landscape and people, the exhibition presents the viewer a rich selection of paintings, prints, sculptures and ceramics, thus providing the opportunity to understand Miró’s symbolic language. Artlovers who will meet with Miró in Istanbul, will witness the reflections in different forms of the energy the artist derived from the Mediterranean culture.

The SSM Director Dr. Nazan Ölçer said, ‘We initiated talks with the Joan Miró Foundation in Barcelona three years ago. Our dream was to add the third link with this great Catalan master to the trilogy of Spain’s great masters, which we started with Pablo Picasso and continued with Salvador Dali. Now we are filled with the excitement of having fulfilled this dream. Together with the Joan Miró Foundation in Barcelona, we decided to prepare a selection, focusing on the artist’s maturity period, centering on women, birds and stars, themes which he never gave up, and which underline his versatility. To stress this versatility, we also borrowed works of art from the family collection in Mallorca and workshop materials from the Pilar and Joan Miró Foundation again in Mallorca. Some of his art in different techniques and some of his personal belongings will be exhibited for the first time, here at SSM, in Turkey. A series of documentaries will also be shown at the exhibition, thus giving us the chance to observe the artist’s life, inner world, his transformations, friends, anger and reaction to the political events in his country and in the world, thereby catching a glimpse of his secret world, which he guarded closely.’

Sabancı Holding CEO Zafer Kurtul’s comments were as follows: ‘We do not limit ourselves to our economic activities; supporting projects within the sphere of art and culture is always a priority for us. Sabancı Holding has supported exhibitions by great masters ever since the ‘Picasso in Istanbul’ exhibition which ushered a new era in the history of Turkish museums. We deem this to be an integral part of our corporate citizenship. Our efforts in this respect are based on our wish and will to make a contribution to the society, from our social responsibility perspective. We are extremely gratified that the Turkish society responds wholeheartedly to this wish of ours. I believe that this exhibition will be received with the same warm interest witnessed by the previous ones, with long queues at the doors.  Miró is the fourth great master whose works we have helped to bring to the Turkish public, the first three being Picasso, Rembrandt and Monet. Sabancı Holding’s vision is to acquire permanent advantages through making difference, and Miró is an artist who has made a difference with his art, with his works. This exhibition will enable us to come to know and understand this great master, through his life as well as his work.’