‘Layers of Belonging’ opens at CerModern

ANKARA

A solo exhibition called “Layers of Belonging” by Mustafa Cemal Yıldırım, widely known as Musto and a prominent figure of the Tachisme art movement, will debut at CerModern on April 3.

CerModern, one of Türkiye’s prominent art institutions now celebrating its 15th year, is hosting the artist’s first major solo exhibition in Türkiye. Based in Switzerland, Musto displays his work at CerModern, where the exhibition will remain open to visitors until April 27.

Tachisme is a style of painting characterized by irregular patches and stains of color. As a significant name in this movement, Musto presents works that not only connect viewers with the past but also offer a new perspective on the future.

Curated by writer and art critic Ümit Yaşar Gözüm, the exhibition follows Musto’s artistic journey through the question: “What does ancestral culture mean to the artist and does it have a meaning in art?” It focuses on themes of identity and loneliness.

The artist encourages the audience to reflect through meanings and images, offering a selection that narrates Anatolia’s millennia-old cultural heritage through art.

Providing information about the exhibition, curator Gözüm said, “Those who choose painting as an indispensable endeavor are aware that a unique visual language is essential. To understand Musto, one must question why he assigns identity and loneliness the role of protagonists in his mission of existence. The exhibition is a reflection of his determined stance in search of the lost innocence of the age, his path guided by thought that touches the void, and his artistic perception created through an East-West synthesis aimed at transforming the fate of a mass condemned to learned helplessness.”

“What makes the artist, who has a rich and dynamic plastic foundation, truly creative is his continuous pursuit. In this uninterrupted search, he discovers new emotions, effects and techniques in which he finds himself. While nature plays a major role in his technique, human nature is equally important. His lyrical language guides the effort to reach the depths of the layers. The movement of light with all states of matter leads to the sublimity of meaning. The brush follows behind the finger and body in the act of painting. The instinctive balance of stain and texture transforms existence from image to reality. One of the distinct aspects of his paintings is the luminous painting technique he uses to form layers of color and surface. This retrospective exhibition, which bears witness to all his periods, is his first major meeting with belonging,” Gözüm added.

As part of the exhibition program, a jazz concert and live painting performance titled “Synthesis of Rhythm: Belonging” will be held at CerModern’s multipurpose hall on April 12. The event will feature Okay Temiz, an iconic name in world jazz, and Musto on stage together. During the concert, Musto will perform a live painting, reflecting his stage partner Temiz onto canvas.

The concert will be free and open to the public.