The figurative tendencies in Turkish paintings between 1950-2010

In this study, the figurative expressions in Turkish Painting between 1950-2010 are theoretically examined. Besides, the study aims to determine the views of the artists who became prominent at figurative paintings concerning the development and evolution of the figurative painting between 1950-2010.In the first part of the thesis, by defining the figure and the figurative painting, the figurative painting in the west and in Turkey before 1950 and development of the figurative painting, which changed and developed between 1950-2010. The second part of the study consists of the modelling of the research, the participants, the compiling of the data, the analysis and evaluation of the data. The study has been figured in the model. In the study, the four artists named Neşe Erdok, Mustafa Ata, Alp Bartu, Mustafa Ayaz, who are prominent with the tendency of figurative in the toile painting and with purposeful sampling in Turkish painting are determined as sample. The study also includes the interviews with Neşe Erdok, Mustafa Ata, Alp Bartu and Mustafa Ayaz as they possess studies of figurative painting.In the research, semi-instructed questions which were prepared according to the aim of the study in the interviews have been used. By analysing the data, content analysis technique has been applied. The basic process in the content analysis is to compile data which are similar to each other in the definite themes and to interpret these data in a way that the reader could understand. In the study, the findings which have been determined have been explained, associated and interpreted by the researchers. The last part of the study includes the views of the mentioned artists who were interviewed concerning the influences of the figurative painting which was developed after 1950 on them, their views about how the figurative painting was affected by the developments of modernization and the place of Turkish figurative painting among the alternative studies emerged with current postmodern art.Key Words: Figurative, Painting, Art, Postmodern