To commemorate the anniversary of the passing of Bursa artist İbrahim Balaban, whom Abidin Dino, a pioneer in contemporary Turkish painting, described as "a painter who knew how to see with his hands," the Bursa City Museum is hosting the "İbrahim Balaban" exhibition.
The exhibition, which opened on June 14th, was prepared by the Museums Branch of the Bursa City History and Promotion Department. The curator is Serap T. Yurteser Yılmaz. The exhibition, the first solo exhibition since the artist's death, features 40 of his works and personal belongings. The works, which trace the artist's artistic journey, which began with the support of Nazım Hikmet during his imprisonment, tell not only the artist's story but also the story of the people. Referred to by art critics as "a painter who created social realist works inspired by the life of the Anatolian people and folk legends," İbrahim Balaban has over two thousand paintings and twelve books, including two novels, including memoirs, essays, and short stories.
Despite a difficult life, İbrahim Balaban, a self-improving artist, was born in 1921 in Seçköy, at the foot of a hill known as İbrahim Dağı, north of Bursa. Graduating from Seçköy's three-grade school, the artist worked in the village until the age of sixteen. The plow his father plowed in the fields and the embroidery his mother embroidered influenced the artist's artistic identity. Described by Nazım Hikmet as a "Peasant Painter," İbrahim Balaban's art was influenced by the daily routines of the village and the images of the villagers.
In the final days of 1937, at the age of sixteen, İbrahim Balaban encountered prison. He was tried and imprisoned at the Bursa Courthouse, in the building that now serves as the Bursa City Museum, for growing Indian hemp. Sentenced to six months in prison and a fine, the artist was unable to pay the fine and served three years. The prison, which he was forced to encounter at a young age, would later become a school of art for the artist and would be a major turning point in his life. While a young peasant working as a shepherd, İbrahim Balaban turned to painting with the support and encouragement of Nazım Hikmet, whom he met in Bursa Prison.
Released in 1941, the artist returned to prison a year later. While in prison, he learned of his father's murder, followed by the death of his wife in childbirth, and a few days later, the death of his baby. The pain and anger of this situation made him even more devoted to painting. Nazım Hikmet was deeply impressed by İbrahim Balaban's untrained talent for painting. According to Nazım Hikmet, Balaban's talent was unique and of a significance that deserved to be appreciated. A deep, lifelong "master-apprentice" relationship was forged between İbrahim Balaban and Nazım Hikmet. The artist said of Nazım Hikmet: "Nazım Hikmet was a sun, and I was born from that sun."
Released from prison in 1950, İbrahim Balaban held his first exhibition in 1953. The artist, who passed away on June 9, 2019, painted his own life story over a century. He trained himself as a true storyteller and, drawing inspiration from his own story, told the story of Anatolia.
The "İbrahim Balaban Exhibition" can be visited free of charge at the Bursa City Museum until September 1, 2025. The museum is open daily, except Mondays, from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
Source: https://www.bursadabugun.com/yazarlar/kamuran-vatansever-141/ibrahim-balaban-sergisi-33983.html