Timur Çelik, who had been residing in Berlin for many years, passed away today. Despite living abroad, Çelik remained deeply connected to the sociopolitical landscape of Turkey, frequently incorporating political events and figures into his works by painting visuals selected from the media.
Born in Gümüşhane, Turkey, in 1960, Timur Çelik studied art at Marmara University in the early 1980s. He moved to Berlin in 1993, where he continued his painting practice, often focusing on current events and political figures. Over the years, Çelik participated in numerous international exhibitions and held solo shows in Istanbul, Ankara, Berlin, and notably at Künstlerhaus Bethanien.
A “Sentimental Realist” Artist
Describing his artistic approach as “sentimental realist,” Çelik invited viewers to see collective memory’s deeply ingrained images from a fresh perspective by painting visuals selected from the media. Throughout his career, he remained deeply engaged with Turkey’s social and political issues, producing numerous works that portrayed the country’s realities. In his large-scale portraits, which brought him visibility in the art world, Çelik depicted significant figures such as Selahattin Demirtaş, Osman Kavala, Ahmet Altan, Eren Keskin, Hayko Bağdat, and Ahmet Türk.
The artist gained attention with his piece Helikopter, part of his series Eyewitness, which he began in 2014 following the Kobane events. Explaining the driving force behind his art, Çelik once said, “It is not courage, but responsibility.”
“I Still Believe in a Freer Turkey”
Having lived in Berlin since 1993, Çelik explained his decision not to return to Turkey in a 2020 interview with Rezan Aksoy:
“I refuse to return to a country where Alevis are profiled, Kurds are thrown from helicopters, Armenians are threatened, and journalists, artists, and all dissidents are imprisoned. However, I still believe these dark days will pass, and I hold on to my faith in a freer Turkey.”
