Turkish Delights; the Royal Academy's Latest Blockbuster Exhibition Is a Treasure Trove with a Complex Story to Tell about the History and Culture of Turkey, Writes Terry Grimley

Byline: Terry Grimley

Some opponents of Turkey's bid to join the European Union have objected that it is culturally alien to Europe: but which Turkish culture would that be, exactly?

Visitors to the Royal Academy's spectacular exhibition The Turks are likely to be sent scrambling for their atlases in an attempt to disentangle the diverse geographical range of ingredients - not least Chinese - which went into the arts of the initially nomadic Turkic people who first emerged in the 6th century.

It is by no means coincidental that this pioneering exhibition exploring the roots of Turkish culture should have opened in London at this particular moment. The catalogue comes complete with messages from Tony Blair and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

For an exhibition of its …

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Publication information: Article title: Turkish Delights; the Royal Academy's Latest Blockbuster Exhibition Is a Treasure Trove with a Complex Story to Tell about the History and Culture of Turkey, Writes Terry Grimley. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: The Birmingham Post (England). Publication date: January 26, 2005. Page number: 13. © 2009 Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd. COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group.

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