By Seo Dong-shin
Staff Reporter
Those who read Nobel Prize-winning writer Orhan Pamuk's novel ``My Name Is Red,'' in which the exclusive world of miniaturists in the Ottoman Empire is depicted, would have felt curious about the miniature paintings.
An exhibition that will satisfy that curiosity opens Wednesday at the Cultural Center of the Korea Foundation. Celebrating half a century's relationship between South Korea and Turkey this year, the exhibition ``The Wind From Istanbul'' is co-organized by the Istanbul Cultural Center in Seoul, the Korea-Turkey Friendship Association and the City of Istanbul.
The exhibition brings about 40 works of Omer Dincer Kilic, a leading painter in the traditional Turkish skill of miniaturist paintings, primarily used in illustrations and embellishments for religious books until the mid-19th century.
Other unique paintings using traditional Turkish skills are also on display. Kadir Ekim's 13 paintings are on papyrus, a material used in Europe before the 8th century and the advent of Chinese paper making. Sadreddin Ozcimi's 15 works are done in the ``marbling'' method _ floating oil colors on the surface of water, producing decorative patterns.
There are also 60 photographs showing diverse landscapes of Turkey, which provide fascinating glimpses into the history, religion, people and geography of the nation. They range from sheep herds by a meandering river to a night scene of a restaurant packed with people on the streets of Istanbul. Considering there are more and more young Koreans attracted to Turkey as a backpacking destination, the exhibit would serve as a good warm-up.
The exhibition continues until July 30. Admission is free. For more information, call 3789-5600 or visit www.kfcenter.or.kr and www.turkey.or.kr.