Öznur Oğraş Çolak from Cumhuriyet spoke with artist Erol Evgin about painting and music.
Can you tell us about the formation and preparation process of the exhibition? How did the idea develop?
I am a graduate of the State Academy of Fine Arts (today Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University). My painting teachers at the Academy were Cemal Tollu, Neşet Günal and Devrim Erbil, the great masters of Turkish painting. I also attended the Mahir Güven Workshop for 5 years. For many years, I have combined music, architecture and painting. I have a painting studio in my home and office. I have previously held exhibitions in Istanbul, Izmir, Trabzon and Ürgüp. I was interested in Touch Art Gallery owner İnci Aytaç's proposal to open an exhibition in Bodrum.
What is the main theme of the exhibition?
The main theme is our cultural heritage! The cultural heritage that has survived from the states and empires established on these lands. This cultural heritage, which is the common property of humanity, has been forced to coexist carelessly with irregular new settlements. In the memoryless cities of third world countries, the old and the new are irreverent and rude neighbors. In the carelessness of the hustle and bustle of daily life, we don't even see these unique cultural treasures anymore.
However, majestic structures resemble wise people. They arouse admiration with their lofty souls, their consciousness, their breathtaking adventures, their looks, their breathing, their postures reflecting their times...
These monuments belong to us as much as we belong to them. They too have the right to expect us to treat them in accordance with their spirit and consciousness.
I tried to reflect on canvas the common characteristic of all these structures, their strong, proud, dignified stance and noble solitude, as if defying the centuries.
Your concerts continue, will you have new works in the name of music for your fans?
Concerts are the events that connect me to life... Meeting with music lovers and singing our songs together for two hours, laughing, crying, experiencing many emotions together is like therapy. Both for me and for music lovers.
“Following the album ”Sevdiklerim“, this year I released ”Sevdiklerim 2", the second album of the series in which I interpreted the unforgettable songs of my artist friends. My acoustic album, consisting of 14 songs, in which I interpreted 11 unforgettable songs without moving away from their original arrangements, also includes 3 new compositions. Every month I bring a new video clip from this album to music lovers.
‘MY GREATEST CREATION’...
Can we hear the story of the 100th anniversary anthem from you?
I have been preparing my 100th anniversary anthem since last year. It is an anthem that will be sung in unison and befits the enthusiasm of the centennial. Dr. Selma Çuhacı wrote the lyrics, I composed it and Firuz İsmailov arranged it. “One Hundred Years of Glory” has become an anthem that will be sung for many years. I had imagined that the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, which Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk called “My greatest work”, would be celebrated more enthusiastically throughout the year. But the celebrations were left to October. I will participate in the celebrations with my concerts in October.
‘SONGS AND FOLK SONGS ARE EXPRESSIONS OF OUR COMMON FEELINGS...’
What do you think about banned concerts and festivals?
I have been singing for 54 years. I have given concerts all over my country. I have seen that people get sad with the same songs and rejoice with the same folk songs. Songs and folk songs are the expression of our common feelings. Songs are the most effective medicine against marginalization and polarization, they are an ointment for social wounds... For this reason, concerts, festivals and artists should not be banned and let us continue to sing our songs and folk songs by embracing each other in such difficult times.
What do you think is Turkey's biggest problem?
Turkey has many short and long term problems. The most important problem in the long term is the lack of modern education. There can be no real democracy without education.