Epress.am News from Armenia
Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam has painted a portrait of Turkish President Abdullah Gül and his wife Hayrünnisa, which sold at an auction for $275,000 US, reports Vesti.az, citing Turkish media. As told by the painter himself, all proceeds will go toward the construction of dormitories at a Turkish college in the Indonesian province of Aceh.
The portrait was acquired by an Indonesian businessman, who is preparing to give the portrait as a gift to the Turkish head of state, who is in Indonesia on an official visit.
Alam said he took up painting after the devastating 2004 earthquake and tsunami that claimed the lives of more than 300,000 people.
Alam met Turkey’s current president in 2007, when, as foreign affairs minister, he participated in a meeting in Istanbul, and since then they have been friends. Alam then promised Gül that he’d make a portrait of him.