Fethi Benderli

Fethi Benderli was born in Istanbul in 1949. After finishing primary school, he attended military school. He completed his education at the Turkish Military Academy and was assigned to active duty as an army officer in the Turkish Armed Forces in 1968. Between 1968 and 1996, he served as a detachment commander and quarter officer in different quarters and troops within the Turkish Armed Forces. After his retirement in 1996, Benderli worked as a general coordinator for a company in Ankara (1996-1997) and Izmir (1997-1998). From 1998 to 2001, he served as an assistant general manager in Turkish Armed Forces Foundation of Education.

In 2006, Benderli observed his friend’s work on an object with felt and beads, and had an interest in it. He started making wall hangings, pictures, panels, decorative accessories, and ornaments with felt, beads, and various materials using the collage technique. He has improved his skill to make felt design works. In 2007, Benderli opened his first solo felt designs exhibition with 50 wall hangings at the Cankaya Municipality Center of Modern Art. In 2008, he had his second solo exhibition with 40 new wall hangings at the same place in Ankara. In 2009, he was awarded as a “felt design artist” in the branch of Traditional Turkish Handicrafts by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. He has been registered to the Center of Public Culture Data and Documentary as “Intangible Cultural Heritage Bearer.” Currently, Benderli continues to make felt works with the ambition to keep felt alive as one of Turkish Cultural asset.