Şekip Taşpınar, Unforgettable Name of Turkish Theatre, Has Passed Away

ŞEKİP TAŞPINAR, AN UNFORGETTABLE FIGURE OF TURKISH THEATRE, HAS PASSED AWAY

Dear members, the arts community and the esteemed public,

As the Culture Workers' Union, we have learned with deep sorrow of the passing of our valued member Mehmet Şekip Taşpınar — theatre, film and television actor, voice artist and teacher. With a career full of art packed into his 56 years, Şekip Taşpınar left unforgettable marks both on stage and on screen, and became one of the most treasured names of our world of culture and the arts.

Born in Ankara on 10 February 1969, Şekip Taşpınar laid a solid foundation for his art with his training at the Ankara State Conservatory of Hacettepe University. His stage journey, which began in 1988 at the Ankara Halk Oyuncuları Theatre, continued at the Ankara State Theatre between 1995 and 1998 and, from 1999, at the Adana State Theatre. Teaching acting, diction and phonetics at the Çukurova University State Conservatory between 2000 and 2003, he contributed to the training of young artists. As a voice artist for TRT and various channels, he also gave life to unforgettable works with his voice.

On television, Taşpınar became widely known for the character "Cevat Akarsu" in the series Kurtlar Vadisi Pusu. With his roles in productions such as Behzat Ç. Bir Ankara Polisiyesi, Karadayı, Cesur Yürek, Arıza, Kanunsuz Topraklar, Beyaz Gelincik and Teşkilat, he won a lasting place in audiences' hearts. In 2017 he was named "Best Actor of the Year" at the Başkent Awards, confirming his mastery of his art. In 2018 he was nominated in the "Best Supporting Actor" category at the Anadolu Sadri Alışık Theatre Awards.

As a member of the Culture Workers' Union, Şekip Taşpınar always supported art workers' struggle for their rights. His bearing on stage and on screen was the emblem of a life devoted to art and culture. Embracing our union's values and working for the unity and solidarity of workers, Taşpınar was not only an artist but also a comrade in struggle.

As we feel the pain of this great loss deeply, it is our union's duty to keep Şekip Taşpınar's memory alive and to pass on his devotion to his art and to the labour struggle to future generations. We ask God's mercy upon the departed and extend our condolences to his family, his loved ones and the arts community. May he rest in peace.

CULTURE WORKERS' UNION