Sculpturist (b. 1920, Mut/Mersin - d. 27 August 2013, Istanbul). When he was studying at Balıkesir Necatibey Primary
School, he started to take painting courses. After graduating from high school,
he worked as a teacher for a short time and continued to paint and sculpt
individually. After completing his military service, he registered to Ankara
Gazi Instruction Institute's French language department. During his sophomore year, he entered a
special exam and was deemed worthy for registering to Department of Sculpturing of Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts (Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University) in 1944. During his academy years, he was
influenced by his teacher's, Rudolph Belling's devotion to classical painting
and affected from his nature paintings. He completed his education in 1948.
Same year, he passed an exam realized by the government and moved to France. He
studied on sculpture with Marcel Gimond'la (1894-1961) at Julian Academy and
stonemasonry with Georges Saupique ile (1889-1961) at Paris Fine Arts College
until 1950. Besides, he investigated far eastern sculptures in Guimet Museum
and the works in Antoine Bourdelle and Rodin Museums. When he returned to
Turkey, he was assigned as a lecturer in faculty at sculpture department of the
Fine Arts Academy. In 1955, he was assigned as the workshop teacher and vice
principal. Between the years of 1966-69, he became the principal of the
Academy. At the same time, he assumed the directorship of The State Art and
Sculpture Museum.
He
gave importance to the proportion and structural stability of the substructure in
his works as well as the whole-partial interrelations, and emphasized on the
priority of the integrity. He made
researches on the relation of physics and mathematics with the fundamental
principles and values of art and applied the results he found in his works. Instead
of the static order formed through horizontal and vertical structures,
dominating his monumental works for a while; he shifted to a dynamic fiction
that is shaped with diagonal structures. Especially the individual sculptures
paved the way for the daring and unfettered orientation of the artist. Although
he followed the dominant trend of the development of the megalithic monuments
in Turkey; he contributed to the monumental works with his impassioned and
moving style. He won the first place prize with Antalya Atatürk Monument
(1964), TBMM Monument (1979) and Fatih Monument Competitions (1985).
WORKS:
SCULPTURES:
Türbanlı kadın (1946),
Çıplak kadın (1948), Çocuk ve ana (1967),
Efenin aşkı ya da aşkın kudreti (1951), Köprülü Mehmet Paşa’s bust (1958),
Yahya Kema’s bust (1958), Geyve Atatürk monument (1961),
Karabük Iron and Steel Plants Atatürk monument (1961), Akhisar Atatürk monument (1962),
Balıkesir Atatürk monument (1963), Antalya Atatürk monument (1964),
Polatlı Atatürk monument (1965), Yahya Kemal monument in Yıldız road in
Istanbul (1968), 50. Yıl Atatürk busts (1973),
TBMM monument (1981), Polis şehitleri monument (1982).
BOOKS: Elli Yılın Türk Resim ve Heykeli (with N. Berk, 1973), Cumhuriyet Dönemi Türk Heykeli (1984).
REFERENCE: Hüseyin Gezer-Nurullah Berk / Elli Yılın Türk Resim ve Heykeli (1973), Cumhuriyet Dönemi Türkiye Ansiklopedisi (c. 4, s. 900, 1983), Hüseyin Gezer / Cumhuriyet Dönemi Türk Heykeli (1984), Büyük Larousse (c. 8, s. 4547, 1986), Ana Britannica (c. 9, s. 427, 1987), İhsan Işık / Ünlü Bilim Adamları (Türkiye Ünlüleri Ansiklopedisi, C. 2, 2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013), 1920 yılında Mut’ta doğan ünlü yontucu (heykeltıraş) Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Gezer hayatını kaybetti (muttanhaber.net, 27.08.2013), İhsan Işık / Resimli ve Metin Örnekli Türkiye Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür Adamları Ansiklopedisi (C. 12, 2018).
