Reflections of Balbals and Tombstones in Turkish Culture in Mutluhan Taş' Paintings

Abstract

Turkish culture has a unique position in the world with its thousands of years of richness. This culture has been shaped by many symbols, rituals and traditions throughout history. One of these traditions is the figures known as balbals, which have an important place in the life of the Turkish society and are considered protective spirits or spiritual beings. Balbals, which are of great importance in terms of the historical development of Turkish Sculpture art, are pre-Islamic tombstones. It can be said that the post-Islamic tombstone tradition is an evolved form of balbals. Nowadays, artists reinterpret these traditional figures in modern works of art and present them in accordance with today's understanding of art. In this context, the balbals in the works of Turkish painter Mutluhan TAŞ; The common expression language of pre-Islamic and post-Islamic tombstones is important in that it offers a new philosophical and plastic perspective using the tools of modern art. Within the scope of this study, qualitative research techniques were used as a method. In this context, literature searches were made and artist catalogs were examined. Additionally, an artist interview form was prepared. Sources regarding the historical origins and importance of balbals were scanned, a personal interview was held with the artist Mutluhan TAŞ, and determinations were made on the common expression language of the tombstone tradition in Turkish culture.