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CONTEMPORARY TURKISH PAINTERS

Abdulaziz Özdemir

  • Posted by author-avatar
  • On 21 March 2026

Who is Abdulaziz Özdemir? (1993-Diyarbakır)

Abdulaziz Özdemir was born in Diyarbakır in 1993. He completed his primary and secondary education in Hani district of Diyarbakır. He began his art education in 2008 by successfully gaining admission to Diyarbakır Fine Arts High School. In 2012, he was admitted to the Painting and Art Education Department of Dokuz Eylül University Buca Faculty of Education. He graduated from the same university successfully in 2016. In 2024, he completed his master’s degree in the Painting Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Şırnak University. In his thesis, he focused on the reflections of the phenomenon of migration in painting through the image of birds.

His artistic practice is shaped in the permeable spaces between individual experiences and social memory. The concepts of migration, belonging, and identity form the main axis of the artist’s works. The swallow bird figure, which he frequently uses in his works, stands out as a metaphorical carrier of the idea of ​​freedom, transformation, and continuity. Swallow symbolically reveals both the individual’s inner journey and the migration narratives embedded in the collective memory. Everyday images, drawing from past experiences, are transformed into a multi-layered narrative through the artist’s intervention.

Art Perspective;

Humanity has, throughout history, confronted numerous challenges on both individual and collective levels. These challenges have become increasingly visible through deepening isolation, the intensification of class divisions, and the prioritization of individual interests over shared values. Within such a fragile framework, social and cultural relationships undergo transformation, while personal identity becomes a structure that is continuously reconstructed. At this very point, art emerges not only as a form of expression but also as a field of resistance.

My artistic practice is shaped within a permeable and multilayered space where individual experiences intersect with collective memory. The desire to make visible the traces carried from the past into the present—and to leave meaningful marks for the future—constitutes the core motivation behind my work. In this context, painting is not merely a tool of representation; it is a bridge that connects times, spaces, and memories. Each work exists both as a personal testimony and as part of a broader collective narrative.

The images I frequently employ in my work are drawn from the familiarity of everyday life. Yet, rather than being presented as they are, these elements are transformed, restructured, and imbued with layered meanings. Objects are detached from their conventional contexts and reimagined within an aesthetic framework; the ordinary is elevated into something poetic and conceptually profound. In this way, the viewer is invited not only to see, but to question and interpret what lies beyond the visible.

One of the most powerful symbolic elements within this visual language is the swallow, a recurring motif in my work. The swallow emerges as an elegant metaphor for freedom, transformation, and continuity. Through its migratory nature, it signifies not only physical movement but also the individual’s inner journey, the search for belonging, and the construction of identity. Its cyclical presence in nature reflects the inevitability of change and renewal, while its representation in my work establishes an emotional and intuitive connection with the viewer.

Through this figure, I also seek to emphasize the delicate balance and fragility of nature. In an era where the bond between humans and the natural world is increasingly weakened, the swallow serves as both a reminder and a subtle warning. At the same time, it renders visible the narratives of migration embedded within collective memory, forging a strong link between personal stories and shared realities. Each swallow becomes a silent guide, inviting the viewer into their own inner journey.

My works aim to bring together diverse perspectives and values, offering an inclusive and reflective viewpoint. This approach not only creates an aesthetic experience but also seeks to foster awareness and deepen empathy. The boundaries between the familiar and the unfamiliar, the individual and the collective, are intentionally blurred. Within this multilayered structure, the viewer is encouraged to confront their own experiences and generate new meanings.

Ultimately, the swallow figure and the transformed imagery within my paintings form a visual language that reflects the complex emotional and intellectual depths of humanity. These works invite the viewer not only into a visual encounter but into an inner exploration. Shaped around universal themes such as hope, freedom, transformation, and belonging, this journey opens pathways to new understandings on both personal and collective levels. In this sense, art becomes not merely a means of expression, but a powerful reflection of humanity’s enduring effort to reinterpret and reconstruct both itself and the world it inhabits.

Personal Exhibitions;
2025 “BETWEEN SPACE AND MEMORY” Sava Art Gallery, ANKARA
2022 “OTHER LIVES” Cizre Atatürk Park, CIZRE/ŞIRNAK
2016 “TOWARDS THE END” Galeri Eylül, İZMİR
Fairs;
2026 - 12th ARTANKARA International Contemporary Art Fair, ANKARA
2025 - 2nd ARTNOVA Art Fair, Ato Congresium, ANKARA
2025 - 2nd IAAF International Izmir Contemporary Art and Antiques Fair, IZMIR
2025 - 11th ARTANKARA International Contemporary Art Fair, ANKARA
2024 - 1st ARTNOVA Art Fair, Ato Congresium, ANKARA
2024 - ARTCONTACT ISTANBUL 4th International Contemporary Art Fair, ISTANBUL
2024 - 10th ARTANKARA International Contemporary Art Fair, ANKARA
2015 - 3rd International Izmir Art Biennial, IZMIR
Awards;
2025 - Ümraniye Municipality 21st Traditional Painting Competition Second Prize, ISTANBUL
2016 - Sütçü İmam University National Painting Competition (Achievement Award), KAHRAMANMARAŞ
2016 - 14th National Bahattin TATIŞ Painting Competition (Third Prize), İZMİR
2015 - 3rd International İzmir Art Biennial (Special Jury Award), İZMİR
2010 - Diyarbakır Governorship Human Rights Themed Painting Competition (First Prize), DİYARBAKIR
Competitive Exhibitions;
2023 - 12th BAZAART painting competition, ISTANBUL
2022 - Ümraniye Municipality "Our Heroic Healthcare Workers" painting competition, ISTANBUL
2021 - 19th Şefik BURSALI painting competition, ANKARA
2021 - Turgut PURA Foundation 39th painting competition, IZMIR
2020 - Gaziantep NATIONAL STRUGGLE HEROES Portrait painting competition, GAZIANTEP
2018 - 8th BAZAART painting competition, ISTANBUL
2015 - Traditional Bahattin TATIŞ painting competition, IZMIR
2015 - Sütçü İmam University painting competition, KAHRAMANMARAŞ
2015 - 6th National Colors of Izmir painting competition, IZMIR
2014 - 5th National Colors of Izmir, IZMIR
2011 - Yeni Yüzyıl University painting competition, ISTANBUL

Group Exhibitions;
2026 - Lalezar, Tulip Museum, ISTANBUL
2025 - Nothing New Inside the White Cube, Amed Art Gallery, DIYARBAKIR
2025 - New Year Exhibition, Sava Art Gallery, ANKARA
2024 - Seven Hundred and One Cities, Zerzevan Mansion, DIYARBAKIR
2024 - Ayzeradant Art Gallery, Kırlangıç-Kırlangıç, IZMIR
2024 - Taksim Art Young Encounters, ISTANBUL
2024 - Cizre Painting Teachers Painting Exhibition, Cizre Shopping Mall, ŞIRNAK
2019 - Winter Letters Painting Exhibition, ANKARA
2018 - YOUNG HOPES, May 2nd Painting Exhibition, ISTANBUL
2018 - QR CODE New Generation Painters Painting Exhibition, ANKARA
2018 - ASO Painting Exhibition, ANKARA
2017 - BARKOD Small Works 2015 - ASO Art Gallery, ANKARA
2014 - Workshop Painting Exhibition, Galeri Eylül, İZMİR
2013 - Workshop Painting Exhibition, Galeri Eylül, İZMİR
2012 - Anadolu Fine Arts High School Year-End Painting Exhibition, DİYARBAKIR

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