Aiming to help children experience and think about art at an early age, Open Dialogue Istanbul organizes entertaining workshops every weekend.

The concept of this week's workshop, which enables children to improve their creativity with original designs every Sunday, is "Artist Workshop with Children," an educational program prepared by artist and instructor Pınar Yılmaz.

In the workshop to be held at Open Dialogue Istanbul this Sunday, kids will learn about the life, art and works of painter, curator, archaeologist and statesman Osman Hamdi Bey, and create their own two- and three-dimensional works inspired by Osman Hamdi Bey.

Children between the ages of 5 and 10, and 11 to 15 will be able to participate in the event, which will take place between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday.

About Osman Hamdi Bey

Osman Hamdi Bey is a very esteemed artist who founded and managed the Istanbul Archaeology Museum and Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts (Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi in Turkish), known today as the Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts, in Turkey. What is important about his works is that he painted scenes from the Ottoman Empire and the Middle East more in line with reality. During his period, European painters mostly depicted them with savagery and mysticism.

Osman Hamdi Bey, who introduced the law prohibiting the expulsion of ancient artifacts in 1884, also carried out archaeological excavations, uncovered masterpieces in the world and exhibited them in the Archaeology Museum. "The Tortoise Trainer" (1908) is one of his best-known works. This painting is interpreted in many different ways. While some said the slow-moving tortoises represent his process in art, others said they were a symbol of the ineffective reforms made in the Ottoman Empire.

About Open Dialogue Istanbul

Founded by Billur Tansel, Open Dialogue Istanbul is a nomad international contemporary art project focusing on educational programs, talks and dialogue. The project's main mission is to promote cultural dialogue between artists, curators and writers on the international level. It provides a platform to young curators, artists and writers, as well as in-the-field training for art students of all experience levels.