Erol Akyavas

Urart Sanat Galerisi, 1983
Private Collection, Switzerland (acquired directly from the above in 1985)

Urart Sanat Galerisi, Istanbul 

Exhibition Catalogue, Istanbul, Dolmabahce Kultur Merkezi; Istanbul, Bilgi Atolye; Ankara, Galeri Nev, Erol Akyavas Retrospective Exhibition, 2000-2001, Vol.2, p. 203, illustrated in colour
Ilona Akyavas, Megi Bisar, Haldun Dostoglu and Melis Terzioglu, Eds., Erol Akyavas, Istanbul 2007, p. 266, illustrated in colour

Born in Ankara, Turkey, it was whilst travelling and living abroad that Erol Akyavas became interested with the central theme underlying his works. Fascinated by his cultural heritage and traditions originating from his homeland, he applied a modern aesthetic whilst simultaneously utilising visual references from both Western and Islamic art. Akyavas attempted to recover and revive customary imagery, transforming it to make it relevant for contemporary use by producing synonymous pieces which address universal issues such as history, religious beliefs, notions of time and the reactions and outcome of causation.                                                                            

Akyavas’s oeuvre is segmented via a variety of stages in his artistic career; beginning with pure geometrical abstraction, moving onto an exploration of the Arabic letterform in his second phase, later introducing fragments of icons, and architectural components; including walls, fortresses and various native edifices. His fascination with representing constructed space can be attributed to his professional training as an architect, an influence evident in much of his later works.

The present work, Karbala, commemorates the pivotally momentous religious story definitive for the Islamic faith. Akyavas recounts the battle between the Ummayad caliph Yazid, and the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, Imam Hussain. The two interlocked in battle for the consequent leadership for followers of the faith. Imam Hussain’s clan of seventy-two men in the dessert of Karbala, illustrated by the Bedouin tents across the plane, was met by a large army sent by Yazid. The battle is represented by a multitude of crisscrossing arrows in the work. The repeated sword symbol represents Hussein, who relied purely on the might of his sword. The confrontation resulted in a massacre where he, his family and supporters were killed and then mutilated. In observance of this, Sunni and Shia alike regard the tenth day of the month of Muharram as “Ashura,” a day of mourning and remembrance of this battle. This story added a significant passion element to the Shia tradition, similar to the Christian reverence for Christ’s passion on the cross. Hussain, to the Shia, is a martyr of resistance in the face of oppression, while Yazid is representative of persecution.

Erol Akyavas, uses historical symbols to convey meaning beyond conceptual restrictions, transporting his canvases to reflect a higher meaning representative of both mystical and natural worlds. The focal purpose of his works is to reconcile and validate Eastern traditions with the constantly developing international visual language of contemporary art.