Contemporary Turkish painting is a network shaped not only by aesthetic pursuits, but also by the depth of thought, the ontological relationship it establishes with nature and humanity, and the continuity of pictorial consciousness. One of the strongest figures in this continuity is undoubtedly the painter and art educator Prof. Dr. Turan Erol. His art represents an understanding of art that grasps nature not only through its visible appearance, but also through its inner rhythm, enduring tension, and temporal layers. In Turan Erol's painting, the landscape emerges as a scene; it transforms into a silent but resilient metaphor of existence. In the balance established between color, brushstroke, and structure, nature finds its place in both poetic and intellectual reality.
His identity as an educator is as significant as his painting. Through the generations he academically trained, he has imparted not only technical knowledge, but also an ethical stance towards painting, a discipline of perspective, and a responsibility of thought. His transformation maintains its existence as an alternative way of thinking through painting, rather than a stylistic pattern.
The "Turan Erol Art Award," organized by Çankaya Municipality, is more than just a commemorative event; it represents the development of a living artistic movement. The award bridges the gap between the depth of thought and aesthetic awareness embodied by Turan Erol and the original pursuits of young artists. Simultaneously, the award's fundamental goal is to increase the visibility of young artists, introduce new names to the contemporary art scene, and continuously support artistic production.
A seven-member selection committee, consisting of Yalçın Gökçebağ, Prof. Zahit Büyükişliyen, Prof. Aydın Ayan, Prof. Bünyamin Özgültekin, Prof. Dr. Burcu Pelvanoğlu, Elif Erol Demirbağ, and İbrahim Karaoğlu, evaluated 228 works by young artists, conducting a highly rigorous selection process. This process considered not only technical proficiency but also original expression, material usage, background thought, and fundamental visual representation. As a result of the initial evaluation, 40 artists' works reached the final stage. Following a detailed examination, 1 different performance, 5 different mansions, and works by 34 different artists are exhibited.
These results clearly demonstrate the diversity, courage, and determination of young artists to expand their expressive possibilities in today's art scene.
Sami Gedik, a young painter who establishes his own stylistic language with precise details and a subtle visuality hidden within an intense emotional field, was awarded the 2025 Turan Erol Art Award. The careful observation, sensory depth, and formal sensitivity seen in Gedik's work create a strong link between the pictorial consciousness represented by Turan Erol and contemporary expression.
Emrah Akkayüz, Uğur Küçükkaya, Mehtap Dursun, Burak Erim, and Melisa Uzun contributed to the mansion's value with their works that embody the heart, spirit, courage, and sensitivity of contemporary art. These authors, by addressing the relationship between material and thought in original ways, reveal the investigative and questioning aspect of the contemporary art language.
Abdulaziz Özdemir, Ahmet Apaydın, Ahmet Can, Betül Beyza Bayram, Betül Odabaşı, Buse Akın, Buse Erdağı, Buse Karakoyun, Büşra Şerif Oruç, Damla Karadere Eyüpoğlu, Deniz Ulaş Atlı, Eda Çay, Eda Nur Tamam, Elçin Mustafayev, Elif Su Yıldız, Emre Efe, Emre Karayiğen, Ercan Kabadayı, Eren Kenar, Ferhat Çubukçu, Furkan Gölgen, Gamze Özel, Gizem Şanlı, Hatice Kandemir, İrem Karagöz Terzi, Kenan Filiz, Kürşat Öksüz, Merve Gazi, Nurgül Keleş, Nuri Özçelik, Rabia Arslan, Ramazan Öner, Selenay Sürücü, and Uğur Avcı have, in short, attracted attention with their forms of expression; their creative balance between material, form, and thought makes their works worthy of exhibition. The works of these artists reveal the determination of the young generation to expand their pictorial language and their pluralistic aesthetics.
The award exhibition, which opened at the Zülfü Livaneli Cultural Center, is not merely a statement of results; it is a cross-section demonstrating how the line of thought initiated by Turan Erol is being transformed and continued by young artists. The structure presented here proves that it is a powerful field of thought, carrying the potential for new generations to recreate its material and form across the globe.
Curated by art writer İbrahim Karaoğlu, this exhibition is a spatial manifestation of intergenerational dialogue. Turan Erol's profound relationship with nature continues to live on, taking on new forms in the multifaceted and courageous explorations of young artists.
In this context, the Turan Erol Art Award goes beyond merely preserving a memory; it gains meaning as an institutional expression of belief in future-oriented artistic strategies.
Award Coordinator
Elif Erol Demirbağ, İbrahim Karaoğlu