Ermeni Iddialari Cikmazi

Mr Vicente Todolí
Director, Tate Modern
53 Bankside, London SE1 9TG
15th March 2010
Subject: “Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective”
Dear Mr Vicente Todoli,

As the Federation of Turkish Associations UK (FTAUK)*, we would like to bring to your kind attention an issue which deeply offends the Turkish community in the UK.

To our great dismay, the exhibition “Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective” in your esteemed museum, its brochure distributed to visitors and the optional audio device contain inaccurate information and groundless accusations against the Turks which we found unfitting for an art exhibition.

The expression “Vosdanik Danoian was born around 1904 on the shores of Lake Van, in Armenian Turkey” in the brochure gives a false place name which not only contradicts historical facts, but also infringes upon the very principle of respect to territorial integrity and inviolability of borders. There was nothing called “Armenian Turkey” on the shores of Lake Van around 1904. Nor was there something called “Turkish Armenia” as stated in another part of the brochure.

Moreover, the claim that “the remaining family were driven out of their home by the pogroms of 1915, which are widely recognized as the century’s first genocide.” is not only an arbitrary accusation, but by disregarding the legal definition of ‘genocide’, a distortion and falsification of facts as well.
You should also be aware of the official stance of the British parliament and the most recently released statement that re-iterates the UK government’s position of there being no evidence to claim the events of 1915 as genocide. No other government was in a better position to find evidence if it existed of any such ‘genocide’ because the British were in control of Istanbul and all the Ottoman archives at the end of the First World War.
We unfortunately observed similar accusations against the Turks in the text titled “Apprenticeship” on the wall of the very first room of the exhibition.
In addition to all these, the introduction part of your audio device which states “Turkish attacks on the Armenians became increasingly harsh. In 1915 thousands of Armenians including Gorky’s family were forced from their homes” is totally misleading.
Last but not least, the catalogue of the exhibition also gives a false place name and contains two Armenian propaganda photos one of which has the explanation “The bodies of Armenian children massacred in Turkey during World War I, c.1915” which instigates abhorrence and unfairly blames Turkey which proclaimed independence in 1923.
It is also unfortunate that an exhibition intended to display selected pieces of art ended up with miscarriage of history at a time when Turkey and Armenia have declared their mutual intention of paving the way for normalization of their relations.
The Turkish community in the UK would like to believe that these arbitrary accusations as well as the falsified claims were overlooked by your distinguished museum. To think otherwise would be to accept that the world famous Tate Museum could not avoid falling victim to Armenian propaganda.
As tax payers, voters and citizens of this country of Turkish origin, we entirely respect art as art lovers. Yet, we also strongly believe that art should not be exploited by politically motivated groups and become a tool for hate propaganda.
We therefore request you to revise the above-mentioned materials and to replace them with reasonable, neutral expressions.

Your immediate reply would be much appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
Servet Hassan (Mrs)
General Coordinator
FTA UK
* FTA UK is working on issues concerning the Turkish community and as an umbrella organization consisting of 17 Turkish associations; it represents approximately 300.000 Turkish citizens in the UK.