Pioneer of Turkish museology education, Professor Tomur Atagok, dies at 86

Professor Tomur Atagok, a trailblazer in academic museology and a distinguished painter and academic, has passed away at the age of 86. A pivotal figure in the Turkish art scene, Atagok was instrumental in shaping the future of museology education in Türkiye.

A legacy in art and education

After graduating from Robert College, Atagok pursued higher education in the United States, earning degrees from Oklahoma State University (BFA), College of Arts and Crafts, and the University of California, Berkeley (MA). Upon returning to Türkiye, Atagok’s professional career began at Mimar Sinan University, where she worked as the deputy director of the Painting and Sculpture Museum.

She later served as a faculty member at Yildiz Technical University, where she also chaired the department of culture, press, and foreign relations. Atagok established and led the University’s Museology Master’s Program and was dean of the daculty of art and design from 2004 to 2006.

Pioneering in art and museology

Atagok’s contributions to art and museology extended beyond academia, as she published numerous articles and led many research projects in these fields. Her career was marked by over 40 solo exhibitions, including shows in the United States, the Netherlands, the Balkans, and Türkiye. She also participated in numerous group exhibitions, both domestically and abroad, winning several awards for her work.

Tomur Atagok’s unique artistic philosophy

In her artistic journey, Atagok focused initially on the relationship between forms within the artistic space, before evolving to emphasize the dynamic, living relationship between the artist, the artwork, and the audience. According to Atagok, a work of art is continuously reinterpreted by each viewer, giving rise to different artistic outcomes with each interaction.

Her works often engaged with reflective metal surfaces, allowing the viewer’s own image to merge with the artwork, thus creating a spiritual and objective reality that evolved with participation.

A personal touch in her art

In a 2021 interview for IsSanat’s “Gun Isiginda” video series, Atagok shared insights into her artistic journey, her thought process, and her connection to her work. She expressed that it was difficult to describe herself but conveyed how her identity as a woman and her relationship with space were deeply intertwined with her art. Atagok’s intention in her metal works was to create an interactive experience where the viewer could see themselves reflected in the art. “I wanted the viewer to see not only the painting but themselves as well,” she said.

Art as a social memory

Throughout her career, Atagok’s art was not only a means of personal expression but also a tool for social memory. She often depicted women not as idealized figures but as women who had lived, struggled, and wanted to tell their stories.

Atagok believed that bringing women’s stories to the forefront through art was a way of rewriting history.

A lasting impact on art and museology

Atagok’s archival work, which includes written and visual documentation of her creative process, as well as long-term studies on Turkish museum history and women artists, was made accessible to the public by SALT Research in December 2018. Among her personal exhibitions are:

• Tomur Atagok Painting Exhibition, Vakko Art Gallery, Ankara, 1984
• Tomur Atagok Exhibition, Mine Art Gallery, Istanbul, 1993
• Tomur Atagok’s Unfinished Story: Human, Brieflyart, Istanbul, 2022
• Tomur Atagok Journals, Elgiz Museum, Istanbul
• Tomur Atagok Cyclical Traces, Retrospective Exhibition, Kibele Art Gallery, Istanbul, 2020