Biography
Gültekin Bilge is a Turkish Cypriot Artist. He received his Master of Arts in1972 from the Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under Devrim Erbil and Ali Çelebi before graduating from the atelier of Dinçer Erimez.
Bilge was shot in the right hand during the 1974 Cyprus War and was unable to paint for many years. The injury led to a dark period in his life, full of anger, pain, frustration, powerlessness, isolation and loss of identity. These emotions find full expression in his artworks. During recovery he worked as an art teacher whilst following developments in contemporary art. Gradually he recovered sufficient use of his right hand to develop a modern style of painting with international reach that is rooted in his Turkish tradition. He developed the Turkish Weave, Turkish Whirling and Dissolve techniques that have become his own language of expression in paint. Since 2011 he has been working on carved wood and assemblage to consolidate the medium on which he narrates his stories. By carving outlines on wood he incorporates these shapes into the substructure of meaning in his artworks.
Bilge’s art philosophy is centred on the concept of concealment. It is based on his observation that human relationships are not open and there are many hidden agendas in personal, social and political life. He uses colour to weave abstract portraits deep into the texture of his works to symbolise that many aspects of human relationships and human society are obscured. As a child he escaped from ethnic conflict and sought refuge in nature. He perceived expressive faces hidden in the natural environment and these became his metaphor for the way humans hide their thoughts, feelings and motivations. In his artwork he connects these observations to show that many things in human society are obscured. He question why people sleepwalk through life, blind to what is happening around them. His intention is to provide a visual shock that helps people wake up from the effects of social conditioning and brainwashing so that they can see what’s really going on in the world.
Since returning to painting full time in 2005 Bilge has created an extensive portfolio. He has lived and worked in the UK since 2011 and his work has been exhibited internationally throughout Europe and in the USA, Canada, Australia, and Japan. During this period he has received many awards. Bilge’s works are held in private collections in Europe, USA, Turkey and Japan.
