Ex-libris

You can watch our Founder's Interview, Negin Piran with Dr. Pektaş on this page,
Prof. Dr. Hasip Pektaş further elaborated on the nature of Ex-libris and its history in Türkiye as follows:

"Ex-libris are small-sized graphic works that book owners used to, and still paste on the inside cover of their books, with their names and pictures on different subjects. It is the business card or deed of the book. The ex-libris introduces. affirm or even asserts the book owner and warns the borrower to return the book. Literally, it means from ...'s bookshelf.

Ex-libris is an important communication tool. Although it was born as a graphical necessity, they are original works made with aesthetic concerns. It brings art between people's hands, into books, and makes them feel its mesmerizing warmth. This branch of art, which has a very long history, attracts attention because it carries the cultural and historical characteristics of the period in which it was made to the present day, and is used as an important object of exchange between artists and collectors.

Ex-libris are works that can be reproduced using traditional printmaking techniques such as engraving, linoleum, woodcut, lithography, serigraphy as well as new technologies such as computer, photography and offset printing, and that enable art to reach a wide audience. There is no material limitation for ex-libris. All possibilities of painting, printmaking and graphic design can be used.

Turkey's recognition of ex-libris has been through books bought from the West. Ex-libris books, which are widely used in European countries, entered our country through second-hand sales, and when the owners of these books died, their relatives donated them to libraries or sold them to booksellers.

The Ex-libris Association, which was first established in 1997 in Ankara, has been continuing its activities in Istanbul since 2008 as the Istanbul Ex-libris Association. In 2000, it became a member of FISAE. It has opened ex-libris exhibitions in 15 major cities in Turkey and 11 different countries. It has organized 5 International Ex-libris competitions so far. In 2010, it organized the 33rd FISAE International Ex-libris Congress. Next year, it will organize the 2nd International Ex-libris Congress and the 6th International Ex-libris Competition in cooperation with Istinye University, Selçuk Ecza Deposu and Bozlu Art Project. The Istanbul Ex-libris Museum, the biggest goal of the association, was established in 2019. With its 17,000 ex-libris collection, hundreds of books and catalogs, it serves as a school for those interested in ex-libris.

In Turkey, since 2000, the number of young people who make ex-libris have started to grow up, especially with the encouragement of printmaking and graphic design professors in fine arts education institutions. Artists receive awards in international competitions. Ex-libris design is taught as a course in 7 universities. There have been 28 master's and doctoral theses on ex-libris. Hasip Pektaş's book “Ex-Libris”, published in 1996, has gone through 4 editions."
*Online Exlibrist magazine publishes articles in Turkish and English. You can further explore the details via the link: http://www.aed.org.tr/tr/ekslibris/

Istanbul Ex-libris Association and Museum: Altunizade, Mahir İz Cd. 45, TR-34662 Uskudar-Istanbul, Turkey e-mail: hasipp@gmail.com

Istanbul Exlibris Association Website: http://www.aed.org.tr

International Online Ex-libris Magazine: http://exlibrist.net/index.php/exlibrist

Exlibris Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ekslibris.tr

Exlibris Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/5881049786