OPENED HIS INNER WORLD WITH THE “BLACK BOX”
Mustafa Cemal Yıldırım, who has lived in Switzerland for nearly 40 years and is one of the prominent representatives of the “Tashism” movement, opened his first solo exhibition in Turkiye at CerModern. Yıldırım, who said that the “Black Box” section of his “Aidiyet Katmanları” (Layers of Belonging) exhibition reflects his inner world, explained, “There are issues in my homeland that make me sad. The unresolved cases of unsolved murders, the insufficient protection of our historical artifacts, the War of Independence, the illiteracy of girls, and the longing for the homeland are some of the topics I address in the Black Box.”
TASHISM MOVEMENT
Mustafa Cemal Yıldırım, known as “Musto” in art circles, met art lovers in Turkiye for the first time with his solo exhibition in Ankara’s CerModern. The “Aidiyet Katmanları” exhibition, which will remain open until April 27, features works created in line with the Tashism movement. The exhibition has two main sections: the “Black Box” section, prepared with special lighting, and the general gallery space.
Having lived in Switzerland for nearly 40 years and feeling homesick, the artist said, “When I saw the interest my paintings received in the exhibitions I held there, I thought, ‘I must take this to my homeland, to my people.’ I am proud to be here. We have a rich culture. I love my country. Even though I am abroad, my mind and heart have always been with my homeland.”
TURKEY’S PROBLEMS IN THE BLACK BOX
The artist, who expressed concern about certain issues in Turkey, explained that he addresses these topics in the “Black Box” section. Yıldırım emphasized that the Black Box reflects his inner world and added, “There are issues in my homeland that make me sad. The unresolved cases of unsolved murders trouble me. I convey the message about that. In the dark room, there is the idea that our historical artifacts are not sufficiently protected, and I wanted to highlight this. On the other hand, I also address topics such as the War of Independence, the illiteracy of girls, and the longing for the homeland in the Black Box.”
I AM THE CHILD OF MY TEACHERS
The artist, who was born in the village of Hortlar in Gaziantep and received his education at the Village Institutes, shared, “My childhood began in the village. Most of my teachers were former Village Institute teachers. They discovered my talent for painting very early on and helped me. I am also a child of my teachers.”
PROBLEMS IN DEMOCRACY
Despite living abroad for a long time, the artist expressed his deep love for Turkiye, saying, “I wouldn’t exchange my own country for any other in the world. Of course, we have problems in our democracy that we need to overcome. Everyone may have different opinions. Every nation has its power balances. But we need to be able to agree democratically. It would be even better if we could continue having conversations with love. My greatest wish is for all of us to be together, without any distinction, as brothers, as a nation. That is my biggest longing.”
Ümit Yaşar Gözüm, the curator of the exhibition, emphasized that Yıldırım’s deep artistic perspective, as someone born in Anatolia and creating art in Europe, is very significant in terms of the depth reflected in his works. Gözüm said, “The artist sees his sense of identity and belonging as a responsibility to his society and humanity. That makes him one of our valuable names who conveys Turkey’s experiences to Western societies.”
