THE THEME OF LANDSCAPE IN CONTEMPORARY TURKISH PAINTING WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF GESTURAL ABSTRACTİON AND THE FORMAL REFLECTİONS OF SURREALİST APPROACHES

ÇAĞDAŞ TÜRK RESMİNDE LEKESEL SOYUTLAMA BAĞLAMINDA PEYZAJ TEMASI VE GERÇEKÜSTÜ YAKLAŞIMLARIN BİÇİMSEL YANSIMALARI

Abstract

Turkish painting has been characterized by landscape imagery since its early stages and has preserved the theme of landscape throughout its development over time. Especially in the 1950s, artists who became acquainted with abstract painting began to experiment with depictions of nature, approaching landscape painting with more original interpretations unique to their own styles. Initially based on observational representation, these abstracted landscapes evolved into different modes of expression through the artists’ individual and emotional responses. Artists perceived nature with sensitivity to color and stain, interpreting forms through a stain-based and surreal perspective. In this context, landscape-themed paintings created with the technique of stain-based abstraction represent one of these modes of expression. Therefore, identifying and analyzing examples of the use of landscape themes and surrealist approaches within the context of stain-based abstraction in contemporary Turkish painting is considered important in terms of contributing to the relevant literature and providing a new source for researchers in the field. Within this framework, the study is limited to selected works by artists who have produced within the scope of contemporary Turkish painting between 1950 and 2024 namely, Adnan Turani, Zahit Büyükişleyen, Hakan Esmer, and Barış Sarıbaş whose works display the formal reflections of landscape themes and surrealist approaches within stain-based abstraction. These artists were chosen due to their consistent attitudes related to the research subject. The study is based on the general survey model and utilizes qualitative research methods and techniques. In order to obtain qualitative data, the methods of “literature review and artwork analysis” were employed during the research process.