Şefik Bursalı

Painter (B.1903, Bursa – D. 20 April 1990, Ankara). During his high school years he worked as a board painter for Ce­mal Nadir for a period.  In 1921 he entered Fine Arts Academy. He received here painting education in the workshop of İbrahim Çallı until 1930. After 1923 he joined Galatasaray and Akademi exhibitions with Bursa views. He won in 1930 the exam to study in Europe but could not go to because the state did not send any student in that year abroad. Between 1934 and 37 he taught painting in Konya in various high schools. Upon Atatürk's request he held exhibitions in 1936 in Moscow, Kiev and Leningrad to introduce Turkish painting arts. He was appointed painting teacher in Fine Arts Academy in 1937. In 1967 he retired from this position.

Şefik Bursalı's artistic style was near to half-expressionist half-academic tendency of 1910 generation. They were pioneers among typical samples of regional landscape tradition which could be called country paintings era. In his landscapes of Bursa and Konya periods his effort to reflect the country’s nature in an honest and pure expression was obvious. Aside from his landscapes, especially in his portraits and nu figures, classical interpretation awareness was dominant which was caused by the effort of uniting the figure with color, line structure with the taste of paint. His concern to reflect the nature in fresh greens, yellow and brown nuances, remaining loyal to values of view but without turning to a dry academism contributes to Şefik Bursalı's artistic style an original dimension. The connection of this characteristic with the knowledge and experience accumulation he acquired during his education in the academy did not prevent personal preferences to be alone with the country’s nature directly especially in next years. A fine sensation power among shadows and half shadows, light and dark color tones and details which tend to volumetric explanations from time to time which does not overlooks figure activity grasps the observer together with the mentioned preferences and arouses a love of nature. Şefik Bursalı managed to keep his line continuously and permanently. Except for short periods he always prioritized his opinion that the real arts could only develop in the artist’s sensibility which is integrated with nature.

He held his first personal exhibition in 1960 in Bursa Municipality. For a long period he did not hold any exhibition and only participated to state exhibitions. However he held three personal exhibitions in 1980 and 1983 in Ankara and 1982 in Istanbul. He received the second prize in 1966 in 27^th State Painting and Sculpture Exhibition with his table titled Bakırköy'de Eski Baruthane. In 1973, 1980 and 1982 state exhibitions he received achievement awards.