Reyhan Abacıoğlu - Turkish Painting Association

Who is Reyhan Abacıoğlu? (1953-İzmir)

She was born in İzmir in 1953, completed her primary education at Dikili Atatürk Primary School and her secondary education at İzmir Girls High School. She graduated from İzmir Education Institute Painting Department Şeref Bigalı workshop in 1972. She was assigned to Manisa Salihli High School in the same year. She was assigned to İzmir Eşref Paşa High School in 1975 and worked at the same school until her retirement in 1993. Immediately after, she started working as a manager at the newly opened Başak Sigorta Art Gallery in İzmir. After the gallery closed in 2006, she started working at Konak Municipality Güzelyalı Culture Center. She left her job there in 2016 and continues to work in her studio in İzmir. The artist has 43 personal exhibitions to date. Her works are in national and international private collections.

Art Perspective;
That first moment when I stand in front of the blank canvas is like starting a journey full of unknowns…
Initially, I have no preconceptions about the painting that will be created. I start painting with wide brushes, by applying stains. The subject or figures are hidden in these stains. These beings, which are in the form of hidden power in the process of painting, strain the structure in order to transform into action. Those who insist on existing, who are determined to exist, inevitably create themselves. Sometimes this process is very painful, exhausting, and conflicting. Sometimes, it is completed in a kind of trance state. And the urge to create is never satisfied. One always feels the need to start over. That is why painting is a painful, destructive, but indispensable endeavor for me.

Criticism on Art;

“A series of abstract impressions, where color often creates a stain effect, detail externalizes a holistic image, and concrete and lived facts turn into visual concepts, are integrated in these paintings within a functional connection that justifies each other. Abacıoğlu’s paintings make us think of the existence of a communication behind the forms that gives them flesh and bones and makes them identical with life. Therefore, he saves abstractionism from a hollow acrobatics of form and connects it to an observation and perception mechanism that stands firmly on the ground. The reason for the existence of the forms does not take refuge in the theoretical nature of being abstracted from meaning and content in Abacıoğlu’s paintings. On the contrary, it roots an understanding that derives from its own function and is based on the indispensable production of its own existence. From a commonality of humor that has permeated each composition separately, to a diversity that is again separate for each composition, it can spread that sensitive line between the whole and the part, the basic formation and the detailing, to all of the paintings without detaching it from the artist’s attention.” Prof. Dr. Kaya Özsezgin / Art Critic

Some Mixed and Competitive Mixed Exhibitions He Participated

2008 State Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
2008 DYO Painting Exhibition
2008 Bilkent Center “double sonata” exhibition Ankara
2008 Istanbul Modern Arts Gallery Aegean Masters Exhibition
2008 Contemporary Istanbul
2008 17.Arlberger Kulturtage St. Anton am Arlberg Austria
2008 Ayvalık-Midilli Art Days Exhibition, Midilli
2007 Italy Pro-Logo 9th International Symposium of Contemporary Arts Exhibition
2007 State Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
2006 International Paper Works Exhibition
2006 Ege University Izmir Artists Mixed Exhibition
2006 First Urla Quarantine Island International Art Camp Exhibition
2006 4th International Biennial of Islamic World Contemporary Painting, Tehran-Iran
2006 3rd International Cappadocia Art Camp
2006 “25 Artists for the Contemporary Ideal” Izmir
2005 85th Year National Sovereignty Painting Competition
2005 1st Women Painters Exhibition (Award)
2004 Şefik Bursalı Painting Exhibition
2004 Paris Carrousel du Louvre SNBA, France
2004 Ministry of Culture State Painting Exhibition (Award)
2004 Izmir Artists Mixed
2004 Festival dei Popoli Mediterranei, Bisceglie, Italy
2004 Human Rights Foundation Mixed Exhibition
2004 Occhieppo 6th International Symposium Exhibition, Italy
2004 DYO Painting Competition
2004 Belgium-Liege “Istanbul Comme Un Jardin Comble”
2004 Atatürkist Thought Association Respect for Ata Exhibition
2004 3rd International Biennial of Islamic World Contemporary Painting, Tehran-Iran
2004 1st International Cappadocia Art Camp Exhibition
2003 2nd TRT Painting Competition Exhibition (Honorable Mention)
2003 Ministry of Culture Şefik Bursalı Competition Exhibition
2003 Ministry of Culture State Painting Exhibition
2003 Atatürkist Thought Association Respect for Ata Exhibition
2003 30th DYO Painting Competition Exhibition
2002 TÜYAP Art Fair
2002 TRT 1st Painting Competition Exhibition
2002 Atatürkist Thought Association Respect for Atatürk Exhibition
2001 Belgium - Liege Galerie L’antide “Works of Turkish Artists on Paper” Exhibition
2001 Atatürkist Thought Association Respect for Atatürk Exhibition
2000 Atatürkist Thought Association Respect for Atatürk Exhibition
1999 International Plastic Artists Association İzmir Exhibition
1999 Ministry of Culture State Painting Exhibition
1999 İzmir Painting and Sculpture Museum Competition Exhibition
1999 İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Competition Exhibition
1998 Netherlands Enschede Galerie A (Mixed)
1998 Naval Forces Command Painting Competition
1997 Ministry of Culture State Painting Competition
1997 28th DYO Painting Competition (Award)
1993 Turkish Women’s Union Competition (Award)
1993 Ministry of Culture 5th Mevlana Painting Competition
1993 Adana Cement Industry 4th Painting Exhibition
1992 Ministry of Culture 4th Mevlana Painting Competition
1992 D.M.O. Painting Competition
1992 Ana Sigorta Competition Exhibition
1992 Ana Sigorta 2nd Painting Competition
1992 Adana Cement Industry 3rd Painting Competition
1991 Tekel 5th Painting Competition Exhibition
1991 T.P.A.O. 10th Atatürk Painting Competition
1991 Ana Sigorta 1st Painting Competition Exhibition
1990 Dokuz Eylül Painting Competition
1990 7th Yunus Emre Painting Competition
1989 Women Painters Group
1988 Women Painters Group
1987 Turkish Women's Union Competition Exhibition (Honorable Mention)
1986 İzmir Artists Group
1985 İzmir Painting and Sculpture Museum Competition Exhibition (Award)
1983 72'liler Mixed Exhibition
1971 DYO Painting Exhibition
and İz Group Mixed Exhibitions

Awards
2006 4th International Contemporary Arts Biennial – Tehran – Iran (Award)
2005 1st Women Painters Exhibition (Award)
2004 Ministry of Culture State Painting Exhibition (Award)
2003 TRT 2nd Painting Competition Exhibition (Honorable Mention)
1993 Turkish Women's Union Competition (Award)
1997 28th DYO Painting Competition (Award)
1987 Turkish Women's Union Competition Exhibition (Honorable Mention)
1985 Izmir Painting Sculpture Museum Competition Exhibition (Award)

Some Symposiums and Art Camps Participated
2008 17th Arlberger Kulturtage St. Anton am Arlberg Austria
2007 Italy Pro-Logo 9th International Symposium of Contemporary Arts
2006 3rd International Cappadocia Art Camp
2005 1st Quarantine Island International Art Camp
2004 1st International Cappadocia Art Camp
2004 Italy Pro-Logo 6th International Symposium of Contemporary Arts