Contemporary Turkish art in the process of building national identity

This study examines the role of Contemporary Turkish Art in the construction of national identity. Contemporary Turkish Art has been formed through the blending of traditional Turkish art with modern art. In Contemporary Turkish Art, where motifs unique to Turkish culture are used with Western techniques, there are works reflecting Turkish culture, history, and social structure. National identity, which determines a nation's way of thinking and lifestyle, shapes its traditions and customs, and forms its societal value judgments, consists of language and historical elements. By centering on the intrinsic values of the Turkish nation, Contemporary Turkish Art has contributed to the construction of national identity. This study aims to investigate the identity-oriented Turkish painting by drawing on the political issues presented during the nation-state building process, especially in the early Republican period. For the study to be understood, information has been provided on the historical process of Turkish modernization and the political transformation put forward in the early Republican period and the artistic interpretation of this thought. Subsequently, inferences were made about the artists and works centered on Identity-oriented Turkish Painting. This study serves as a starting point to understand the impact and importance of art in the process of constructing national identity. Moreover, the examination of art pieces from Turkey's historical and cultural past is also part of this study. Additionally, the study addresses the interaction of Contemporary Turkish Art with modernization and globalization.