Baki Murat Top
Transkript
Baki Murat Top
a cartoon exhibition karikatür sergisi A TOUCH TOO REAL GERÇEK ÖTESI life is not always fun yasam her zaman eğlenmek değil Baki Murat Top 9 May - 8 June 2003 Eren Bros. Growers, Packers & Exporters of Premium Quality Tomatoes This project is supported by the City of Greater Shepparton through the Arts in the Community Fund I was born in a small town called Hinis in east Turkey, in 1962. My initial interest in drawing cartoons started with the release of humour magazine, Girgir (Senseless Chatter). In the 1970s, Girgir was one of the most popular humour magazines in the world selling about half million copies per week. Despite having an interest in drawing, I studied science, graduating from the University of Ege (Izmir, Turkey) with a science degree in Agriculture in 1985. Working in a different area did not stop me from developing my natural skill. On the contrary, drawing has become a magical power for me to renew myself against discomforts created by life issues within me in the course of time. I like drawing cartoons about contradictive and tragic-comic aspects of humans between themselves and nature. This interest inspires me to draw about the problems of life or to concentrate my works on the darkness of life. My works are commonly defined as ‘black humour or political cartoons’ without words. Therefore, some viewers consider my works as very thought provoking, poignant and savage because of their realities. During my long association with the art of cartooning, I have drawn for a number of magazines published in both Turkey and Australia. Many of my works have been exhibited and included in the numerous catalogues. Some of my works have also been printed as greeting cards. I have participated in a number of mixed exhibitions and I opened my first solo exhibition in Australia at Shepparton Art Gallery in 1998. 2 Foreword Shepparton Art Gallery is pleased to support this project as an important part of our commitment to promote the work of local artists and present a varied exhibition program. The Shepparton Art Gallery presents over 26 exhibitions each year and of those over 50% are drawn from the local community. This active program has seen the Gallery attendance increase from 13,500 in 1997 to over 41,000 in 2002. The Gallery acknowledges and thanks the City of Greater Shepparton for their additional support of the project through the “Arts In The Community Fund”. The Council as a part of its “Encouraging Arts in the Community” policy initiated the Arts In The Community Fund. The funding program is designed and administered to support achievement of the principles expressed in this policy: ● Promote arts and cultural endeavours and activities in the community, ● Encourage, support and promote active participation by the whole community in artistic and cultural activities, ● Celebrate local culture and identity, ● Encourage, support and promote innovation and skill development in the arts and ● Ensure arts activities are accessible and available to all sections of the community. Many issues confront the community at the moment, the war with Iraq, terrorism, drought, and the environment in general. Through his cartoons, which comment on these issues and more, Murat Top has given the community a forum through which to voice these concerns. Murat’s subjects are thought provoking, topical and sometimes confronting. We trust you enjoy this exhibition and congratulate Murat Top on a successful display. Leanne Willis, Director, Shepparton Art Gallery 3 A few words about Murat Top’s art Murat Top’s cartoon carries, in a very clear way, the climate of Anatolia, which has been the cradle of civilisations uniting Asia and Europe for three thousand years. What is this? A deep questioning of life; the adventure of light and darkness; obligation and freedom; search of one’s self; destruction and rise; opening and blockage. In Murat’s cartoons you can find the charm that exists in quality stories. Sometimes one cannot help asking if these cartoons are wandering over a path extending from the Mediterranean to the Pacific. When I look at Murat Top’s works, I believe that his cartoon is the transformation of life’s fire into lines, attacking human’s darkness and becoming its nightmare. I think the reality that fills me with such an association and thought, is Murat’s loading of contradictions with such density and the destructive characteristics to his cartoons. Anyway, isn’t real art the art of loading the earth’s contradictions to its essence and transforming them with its own aesthetic lens to light, and trying to overcome and push obligation with this light? Murat has his own style. He takes humanity’s vital problems through his mysterious mirror and turns them to an educational and artistic force. In his art, people and things are like porters and philosophers of the problems they are trying to solve. For this reason we can call Murat the blacksmith of heated contradictions. In short, Murat Top’s cartoons are the product of an art that, far from decorative and unnecessary confusion of form, moves its viewers to our internal confusion and makes us think and arise with a desire for action. Muzaffer Orucoglu, Painter - Author 4 Artist statement I believe that the art of the cartooning is the quickest, the most sincere, most equitable and the most blunt of all the arts. It is quick because it can express the message of truth and reality in seconds, which would otherwise be told in many full pages. It is sincere because it can touch every heart with aesthetic softness of the line, and set up a relationship quickly between itself and its viewer. It is equitable because it approaches everybody equally when it is expressing the messages of the reality. It is blunt because it can tell what it wants bravely in a sharp and short way without being afraid of, or taking pity on, anybody. That is why I have always believed that the cartoon should not merely make us laugh or entertain, as is widely thought. Art has been carrying a responsibility on its shoulder to change and improve the communities in which it has existed for hundreds of years. The tolerant and warm environment it created, without any discrimination, has improved senses of humanity while its stability has improved and matured human consciousness and power for struggle. This maturing has played a role to accelerate the period of civilisation in the course of time. The position that humanity has reached with the support of art is undoubtedly much better than it was hundreds years ago. However, it doesn’t mean that art has completely finished its responsibilities. Many problems still continue even though they are a touch too real for many people to accept. Human and natural resources of the world still disappear in meaningless wars, angry invasion for goods and power, discrimination, disease and poverty. Thus art must continue with its historical commitment to make life more livable, by bringing the difficult side of life to people’s attention, warning the creators of problems and others who are left to live with these problems. This should be achieved without losing artistic aesthetic integrity, while ensuring some thing is done to solve the problems. Unfortunately despite the world having many beautiful aspects, living is not funny for millions due to these existing problems. Therefore, the art of cartooning shouldn’t be just a tool of humour, wit, joke and fun while there are millions who are living in pain and sadness. Such an art shouldn’t waste time aimlessly when the world must confront these many problems. That is why the art of cartooning must continue to point out the dark side of life and criticise the creators of these problems forcing them to change their behaviour. This means the art of cartooning must continue to be “a dangerous art”. I always draw my cartoons with the hope of increasing the number hearts that will see the darkness of the life and join the struggle to convert this darkness to light. I believe that with an increased number of such hearts, life would be always fun for everybody. Baki Murat Top 1 May 2003 5 Tele-soldier Tele-asker 2003 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 297 x 420 mm 6 The aid Yardim 2001 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 204 x 305 mm 7 Wasted lives Harcanan hayatlar 2003 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 297 x 420 mm 8 The cost of loyalty Bagliligin bedeli 2003 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 297 x 420 mm 9 Hope Umut 2003 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 297 x 420 mm 10 The friendship of books Kitaplarin dostlugu 2003 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 297 x 420 mm 11 No War Savasa hayir 2003 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 297 x 420 mm 12 Unnecessary deaths Gereksiz ölümler 2003 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 297 x 420 mm 13 Sensitivity 1 Duyarlilik 1 2003 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 297 x 420 mm 14 In memory of Nazim Hikmet 1 (Poem title: Last request) Nazim Hikmet’in anisina 1 (Vasiyet adli siiri) 2003 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 297 x 420 mm 15 Tele-bombing Tele-bombardiman 2003 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 297 x 420 mm 16 The desire for watching intently Dikizleme arzusu 1998 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 240 x 300 mm 17 Set Peace free Barisa özgürlük 2003 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 297 x 420 mm 18 In memory of Nazim Hikmet 2 (Poem title: My heart) Nazim Hikmet’in anisina 2 (Kalbim adli siiri) 2002 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 249 x 320 mm 19 Longing Hasret 1994 Indian ink, colour pencil, pastel 256 x 319 mm 20