Zeki Kıral

Zeki Kıral was born in Istanbul in 1927. He graduated both from the Painting Department in the State Academy of Fine Arts and from Istanbul University in 1952. In 1962, he entered the Engineer Department at Hamburger Fernlehbinstitut. He also studied at SGD Darmstadt Architecture School. After the military intervention in Turkey in 1960, Kıral worked as a Plastic Art Commission member in the Turkish Ministry of Education. While studying at the Academy, he worked with famous Turkish painters such as İbrahim Çallı, Feyhaman Duran, Cemal Tollu, and Ali Çelebi. In 1956, Kıral was sent to Afyon to select paintings for the new building designated for the Grand National Assembly. In 1957, he founded the 6′s Group with Saim Özören, Şefik Bursalı, Nazmi Dayan, Muhtar Aykın, and Nihat Pınarlı, and had many exhibitions in different provinces in Turkey. In the same year, Kıral was appointed to the commission member of UNESCO Plastic Arts. In the 1960s, he worked abstract painting, being inspired by Turkish calligraphy art. In 1961, Kıral was invited to the Contemporary World Artists’ Exhibition to exhibit his painting at a museum in Paris for a year.

Kıral served as a president in the Association of Turkish Painters as well as the Federation of Turkish Fine Arts. In 1987, he founded the group "Bizim Grubu," with Leyla Gamsız, Selim Turan, Kristin Saleri, Hüseyin Gezer, Zerrin Bölükbaşı, Nuri Abaç, Şadan Bezeyis, Dinçer Erimez, and Sükriye Dikmen. Kıral has had 43 solo exhibitions and has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Turkey and abroad. He has received many awards including seven Awards of Merits, which were given by UNESCO AIAP Turkish National Committee. His works can be seen in many national and international museums and private collections.

Reference: zekikiral.com.tr