Atila Aktürk

Who is Atila Aktürk? (1955 – Ordu)

Atila was born on February 11, 1955 in Ordu. His interest in art began to take shape from an early age, and this passion led him to graduate from the Painting Department of Marmara University Atatürk Faculty of Education in 1984. After his education, he worked as an art teacher for 26 years, aiming not only to produce but also to convey art. He retired from Kadıköy Kemal Atatürk High School, where he spent most of his professional life, in 2011.

Atila, who has been presenting his art to the audience by participating in personal and group exhibitions since 1984, continues his production process in his own studio. Art, beyond being a way of life for him, continues to be a constant field of discovery and one of the most powerful ways of expression.

Art Perspective;

For Atila, painting is not only the coming together of colors and forms, but also a way of observing the spirit, texture and depth of the society he lives in, filtering them and re-expressing them. What is happening around him, people’s emotions, pain, joy and silent screams are among the most powerful elements reflected in his works. For him, art is not only a means of expression, but also a witness, a confrontation and an internal reckoning. While transferring what he sees, feels and thinks to the canvas, each brush stroke tells a story, each color corresponds to an emotion.

Although he believes that art education provides technical development, he thinks that what brings Atila into being is not only technical competence. According to him, art is nourished by sensitivity; it requires carefully observing the environment, deeply comprehending events and, most importantly, feeling. Art is not something produced only in the workshop, but a process that is constantly experienced, felt and internalized in life. Painting is much more than a habit or a profession for him, it is almost an inseparable part of his existence.

Atila sees art as a long journey; an adventure that transforms, develops and sometimes questions the artist over time… This journey sometimes carries deep loneliness and sometimes a collective consciousness. Atila believes that he is a witness of the age he is in and he processes this witness into his works to carry this beyond time. In each of his works, he takes care to open a new area of ​​discovery, ask new questions and invite the viewer to think about these questions.

Art is not an escape for Atila, on the contrary, it is one of the most powerful ways to stand at the very center of life, understand it and direct it. Each of his works comes into being as a reflection of his belief in the transformative power of art.