Evaluation of sufi images in Erol Akyavaş's paintings

This thesis examines the artistic practice of Erol Akyavaş, a distinctive figure within the field of contemporary Turkish painting, with particular focus on his use of Sufi images. Akyavaş developed a multidisciplinary approach that reflects his intellectual engagement with photography, architecture, mathematics, geometry, philosophy, and religious studies-particularly Sufism. His artistic process, characterized by continuous transformation and introspective inquiry, reveals a sustained pursuit of metaphysical truth and the essence of being. Within the conceptual framework of the research, the objective, significance, and methodology of the study are outlined, followed by an exploration of the historical and theoretical dimensions of the image and Sufi image in both traditional and modern art. The thesis further investigates Akyavaş's biography, artistic style, and the symbolic forms he employed, while interrogating the alignment of his visual language with Islamic systems of representation. The analysis demonstrates that Akyavaş did not merely utilize images as visual motifs, but rather as vehicles for conveying inner meaning and metaphysical inquiry. His works transcend formal representation, aiming instead to reveal what lies beyond the visible. Through this artistic strategy, the artist appears to embark on an inward journey shaped by spiritual reflection and ontological questioning. Ultimately, Akyavaş's artistic production is interpreted as a unique synthesis of tradition and modernity, through which the Sufi image becomes a medium for expressing the unseen dimensions of truth. Keywords: Erol Akyavaş, Image, Sufi Image, Contemporary Turkish Painting Art.