DEEP THOUGHTS (2011)
Gültekin Bilge
Visual Artist / Citizen of the World / Exploring the Human Condition Through the Medium of Paint
In this work the two faces looking away from one another symbolise opposition. They represent the superficial divisions we see everywhere in the world based on prejudiced attitudes related to differences in gender, race, nationality, politics, religion, and relative levels of perceived power and status. Connecting these two opposing heads or mindsets is the long piece of carved wood that embraces them. It symbolises our shared experience about what it means to be human.
When we think more deeply about the human condition, we recognise that each of us is born into different circumstances and we must all find a way to survive and adapt to the challenges we face in life. Each life has light and shade, joys and sorrows, bright happy moments and periods of pain or anxiety. We all experience some areas of warmth, comfort and security and at times, deep dark frightening or troubled places. This is the life we share. It is our common human experience. If we explore our deep thoughts about life, and take time to look below the surface, we come to understand that it is our differences (the contrasts) that make life vibrant and interesting. If a painting has no contrast it is insipid, pale, lifeless, lacking vitality or depth. Just so in life, we need diversity to create a world that is vibrant and alive. We should celebrate our differences rather than use them as reasons to create conflict and fight wars with one another.
I created this piece in 2011 as part of my Carved Wood Series. It is comprised of three pieces of carved wood and measures 180 cm W x 80 cm H. I am always restless, pushing boundaries and seeking new modes of expression. I started painting on wood because I wanted to change the rules of exhibition. This was in response to my frustration that although the structure of a composition can go beyond the frame, wall art is predominantly exhibited within a rectangular frame. One day when I was out driving in 2008, I saw a huge felled tree at the roadside. Immediately I realised that I could paint my compositions on natural wood forms. Soon after I went to the mountains in Turkey and bought a cedar tree, then had it transported to the sawmill to have it sliced, dried, sanded and prepared for painting. This process took about 18 -24 months.
After completing my first wood series I began to carve the external form as a sculptured shape to provide structure and line. Increasingly I constructed compositions across multiple pieces. Working on the carved woods opened up new opportunities to create a bolder form of expression. I have always seen faces in rocks and trees in nature. By carving the boundaries into shapes my imagination took wings and I felt creatively free to create these new faces from the hidden forms I see in the natural world. I felt very energised and invigorated because I had found a new and fresh way to express my artistic voice.