Indian collectors of western art, who include both the diaspora and domestic buyers, will soon find another window opening up in the

European art world. Sotheby's is unfurling the first-ever dedicated sale of Turkish Contemporary Art in London. The sale is expected to raise in excess of £1.2 million. The 73 lots comprising paintings, photographs, sculptures and installations have been generated by 53 artists.

"The selection of exceptional works represents the originality and dynamism of Turkish Contemporary Art which is increasingly sought after. These include rare and important works by Turkey's modern masters such as Erol Akyavas's 1980 oil on canvas The Kiss estimated at £25,000-35,000 and Mubin Orhon's 1961 Unititled oil on canvas which shows an estimate of £60,000-80,000," Sotheby's senior specialist and head of sale Dalya Islam told ET in an email from from London.

Turkey's foremost conceptual artists will also be represented in the sale, and this group will be led by an outstanding work by hyper-realist artist Taner Ceylan, entitled Spiritual which is estimated at £30,000-40,000 and Red VI, valued at £20,000-30,000, by Seyhun Topuz, a successful standing sculpture by one of Turkey's most exceptional sculptors today.

The Contemporary paintings also embrace Nejad Melih Devrim's Untitled oil on canvas from 1955 estimated at £30,000-40,000 and a work by Fahrelnissa Zeid, an oil on canvas titled Le Minautore which is estimated at £50,000-70,000.

Ali Can Ertug, Sotheby's senior vice-president, strategic business development, Middle East, commented: "The buoyant art scene in Istanbul and the ever-popular Istanbul Biennial have set the stage for this inaugural auction where Turkish Contemporary Art will make its debut on the international art market this March in London. We are delighted that this new sales category at Sotheby's will be headed by Dalya Islam, whose experience in the field especially qualifies for the sale."

Dalya Islam said, "Our inaugural dedicated sale of modern and contemporary Turkish art in London is evidence of the incredible momentum in this particular area of art, containing as it does important works by some of the foremost artists from the Turkish scene. The energy that infuses this sale promises a bright future for this field."

"The momentum and growth of the art market in Turkey is very similar to what we've seen in India in some ways. An ageold culture with a multiplicity of influences is seeing its contemporary art scene come to the international forefront," rounded off Sotheby's deputy director Maithili Parekh.