Onthulling van een schilderij van de hand van Ahmet Ögüt

The portrait of Meral Taygun is the fifth in the growing gallery of influential theatre makers of colour, an initiative that highlights perspectives that have been overlooked for too long. Artist Ahmet Öğüt created the portrait, in which he makes Taygun's impact on Dutch theatre tangible.

Taygun was born in Turkey, studied at the Yale Drama School and played a key role in the Dutch theatre landscape from the 1980s onwards. She was one of the founders of Turkish theatre in the Netherlands, developed intercultural projects and was artistic director of the Amsterdam Theatre School for many years. Under her leadership, the current Amsterdam School of the Arts was established. Her work continues to inspire – generations of theatre makers carry on her vision. -|- The ITA portrait gallery is a collaboration between The Need for Legacy, ITA and the Dutch Theatre Festival. With each new portrait, the gallery grows into a tribute to creators who have helped shape Dutch theatre. The choice of Taygun is therefore not only a tribute, but also a re-evaluation of who we give a place in our cultural memory.