Lütfiye Batukan's Unique Collection of a Thousand Dolls
Artist Lütfiye Batukan could not find support for her dream of preserving her collection of approximately one thousand dolls, prepared with 60 years of effort, in a museum.
Turkey's leading doll artist Lütfiye Batukan wanted to gather her collection of one thousand dolls reflecting Turkish culture in a museum throughout her artistic career spanning over half a century, but she could not receive the necessary support from official institutions.
Artistic Life and International Successes
Throughout her 60-year artistic career, Lütfiye Batukan has exhibited her original dolls reflecting Turkish culture both domestically and in various countries such as Germany, Austria, the USA, and Japan.
In 1985, the artist received an achievement award at the International National Costume Doll Competition in Poland, making Turkey's voice heard in this field for the first time, and she won first place in the competition in Turkey in 1986.
Museum Initiatives and Encountered Difficulties
The artist has strived for years to gather her collection of approximately one thousand dolls, all of which are her own creations, under the roof of a doll museum like international examples.
Despite holding meetings with institutions such as the Ministry of Culture and the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) without finding support, Batukan was also evicted without prior notice from the Turing Istanbul Bazaar where she had been working since 1986.
Scope of the Collection and Historical Figures
While traditional dressed dolls make up the majority of Batukan's collection—which elevates doll-making to an artistic level—historical characters hold a privileged place.
In addition to important figures such as Atatürk, Suleiman the Magnificent, Mehmed the Conqueror, Yunus Emre, Rumi, and Mimar Sinan, fictional characters and compositions have also been prepared with great effort.