Mustafa Haluk Guclu

Mustafa Haluk Güçlü (12 August 1951 – 18 August 2011) was a Turkish painter known for his paintings depicting Turkish culture and mythology. Guclu was also a portrait artist.

Mustafa Haluk Guclu in his youth

Biography

Early life (1951–1970)

Mustafa Haluk Guclu, who was interested in art from childhood and was 13 years old when he made his first oil painting. His first oil painting painted on the plywood was the picture "Winter in Erzurum". He had the great support of his teacher, the painter Fuat İğdebeli, during secondary school.

In 1968 Guclu started working as a correspondent for a local newspaper. He painted dozens of made-to-order portraits. He created many posters and paintings for the big display boards at the fairs and festivals. He made many interior decorations beatified with his paintings as well as shop window decorations.

He met with the painter Mehmet Sabir Bey and worked for more than five years with him. He made decorations of places like Erzurum Atatürk University Lounge, Hacıbaba Kebab Hall etc. and Erzurum Folk Dance Association's "Hurrem Sultan", "IV. Murat ", and" Köroğlu" theatre decorations.[1]

Philosophy education (1970–1984)

In the 70s, while Guclu was the publishing editor of the East Express newspaper, he drew daily stencils and during this period he met Ali Karaavcı from whom he received philosophy education. In addition to his paintings capturing local scenes such as the Red Fountain, Leman, Çaykara, A corner in Emirgan, Karadeniz Tea Garden, Musalla stone, Hülya, Serçeme Deresi and Yakutiye, his paintings bearing philosophical interpretations like Garibanam, Passion, Ambush, Deli Nazım, Sarıgelin, Kuşbaz, Devlerin Aşkı, Nene, and Ali Karaavcı are the work of this period. He held his first exhibitions during these years. He also made the decorations of Erzurum Television.

Guclu started his civil service in the Ministry of Culture and continued in the Turkish Radio and Television. He created and exhibited large-sized paintings like "The Birth of the Turkish Flag", "Departure of Turks from Ergenekon",[2] "The Epic of Kürşad's Revolution", "100 Great Turkish" and the 80's came when his paintings were banned, removed from the walls and destroyed.

Guclu's Life in İstanbul (1984–1990)

Guclu painted the Sarıkamış Battleground during his compulsory military service as lieutenant. After 1980, he moved to İstanbul where he made many illustrations, paintings, logos, graphic designs and book covers. He founded a publishing house, and published the philosophical books (Judgment, Passion, Invocation) of his tutor Ali Karaavcı. He built a Turkish style cute restaurant (Young Buffet) near the Üsküdar wharf, and restored Ilıca Touristic Hotel belonging to the municipality and the Historical Mansion.[3]

Turkish World (1990–1995)

Guclu spent three years preparing for the animation project "Tigin-Flash Khan" which aims to unite the children within the framework of common values in Turkish world. However, he was left alone with his artistic stance and in an environment where everything started to be shaped for money and was defeated. His work was not completed or broadcast, and he turned his steps towards painting again. He painted pictures that he used to express himself, and tried to express his thoughts. Despair of Turkish Thinker 68x98 cm, Lambs 100x71 cm, Schizophrenia 100x64cm, Rough Black Sea 100x71 cm, Pamukbaba 70x50 cm, Heva-i Nefs 100x140 cm, Fire Dance 100x70 cm, Synthesis 100x140 cm, Three Girls One Mother 114x94 cm are his works he created in this period.

Inner Realism (1995)

Guclu held many exhibitions one after the other in Antalya, Ankara and Erzurum. He published a declaration of the art movement "Inner Realism" at the Ömer Sunar Art Gallery in Ankara on August 4, 1995. He briefly presented his views on art with this manifesto to the public. He exhibited over 500 works with his philosophy of "Art is for the created deriving from God".[4]

The Hands reaching towards the Art (1996-1999)

On 4 December 1995 his master Ali Karaavcı was deceased. He commemorated him with an exhibition in Erzurum in March 1996. He published a catalog containing as many as one hundred paintings in which his art philosophy took place In June 1996.[5] In the same year, he started to work as a lecturer in Atatürk University Fine Arts Faculty.

Guclu activated the painting workshop at the Culture Center in Erzurum. He held free courses there and opened a series of mixed and personal exhibitions under the name of " The Hands reaching towards the Art". In 1998, he held 'Atatürk with Portraits' exhibition Erzurum Painting and Sculpture Gallery where 17 paintings were displayed.[6]

In the meantime, he worked as Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality Presidency of Culture and Art Consultant for two terms (1996-2000 and 2001-2004). Red Fountain, Aziziye, Nenehatun,[7] İbrahim Hakkı Hz. Are the works of this period. The oil painting on the Commemorative Stamp of 300th Birthday of Erzurumlu İbrahim Hakkı is his work.[8] His painting Aziziye 140x200cm is still hanging in the entrance hall of the Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality.

Turkish Mythology (2000-2004)

He concentrated to work on the Turkish Mythology. Alper Tunga in Otuken 100x100cm, A morning in Ergenekon 120x90cm, Migration Preparation 120x50cm, The Red Apple 70x100cm were painted in this term.

His 19th personal exhibition was in Ankara in 2003, displaying a series of studies on the superstitions. Udagan Kam, Vow Ceremony, Aşık Falı, Nazar Nene, Purification with Fire, Coffee Fortune-telling, The Peace Street, İje-Kil, The Portrait, In the Light of the Darkness are works of this period.

Last Period (2004-2011)

Guclu got cancer, his stomach was surgically removed in 2004. He kept working on his paintings despite his serious disease and pains. He held a painting exhibition in İzmir Painting-Sculpture Museum in commemoration of his painting teacher Mehmet Sabır in October 2006 in İzmir.

He staged 45 new works in his 21st personal exhibition "Gökçeada Landscapes" between 17–22 August 2008 as part of Gökçeada Movie Festival.[9] Lastly, Guclu tried to complete 54 pieces of miniature paintings about Erzurumlu Emrah in his workshop. He died in Ankara on 16 August 2011.[10][11]

References
  1. "Theatre". Erzurum Folk Dance Society. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  2. Gurbuz, Cazim (11 February 2014). "Council of the White-haired". Yeniçağ Gazetesi. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  3. "Historical Mansion Restoration". Erzurum gazetesi. 6 December 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  4. "M.Haluk Güçlü". İstanbul Erzurum Culture and Solidarity Foundation. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  5. "Mustafa Haluk Guclu Ve Derunilik (Inner Realism)". Nadir Kitap. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  6. "Ataturk Portraits". Hürriyet News. 28 May 1998. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  7. "The New Sculpture of Nene Hatun". Hurriyet News. 26 April 1998. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  8. "300th Birthday of Erzurumlu İbrahim Hakkı". Pulhane. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  9. "Gokceada Movie Festival". Inside Dardanelles. Interaktif Medya. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  10. "M.Haluk Guclu". Writers Union of Turkey. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  11. Koca, Yavuz. "A Strong Stone Fell from the Wall". Turkish Agriculture Engineers Union. Turkish Agriculture Engineers Union. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
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