With the declaration of 2023 as the "Year of Aşık Veysel" by UNESCO, the exhibition titled "Veysel Gider, Adı Kalır", organized with the contributions of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, will meet with art lovers until April 23.
On the 50th anniversary of the death of the great folk poet Aşık Veysel Şatıroğlu, the family collection, including the mask taken from his face, was opened to visitors at the Atatürk Cultural Center.
Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Özgül Özkan Yavuz stated that Aşık Veysel had a difficult life and said, "Despite losing his sight at a young age, he was able to see with the eyes of the heart, and with his unique tunes and conversations, he managed to become one of the most important representatives of our tradition of minstrelsy."
"It is extremely exciting to witness our esteemed photographers photographing Aşık Veysel"
Pointing out that the master poet called people to friendship and brotherhood with his instrument and words, Yavuz continued as follows:
"One of the primary duties of our ministry is to bring together our personalities who have left their mark on our society and culture with all our people, especially our youth, and to commemorate the precious bearers of our cultural heritage. Our 'Veysel Gider Adı Kalır' exhibition, in which we tell about Aşık Veysel's life, show interviews and articles with him, is to achieve this goal. It is extremely exciting to witness that our precious photographers such as Fikret Otyam, Ara Güler, Ozan Sağdıç, Mustafa Türkyılmaz and Ergün Çağatay photograph Aşık Veysel in this precious exhibition. We will also be able to see the works of Anadolu Agency correspondents of the period here. Here, we will see the works of both Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu and Eren Eyüboğlu that they have personally created by seeing Veysel."
Pointing out that the works of Orhan Peker, Alper Çınar and the painter Yusuf Toprak will also meet with the audience for the first time, inspired by Aşık Veysel, Yavuz said, "The book 'Aşık Veysel in the Press' prepared in Braille was performed by our theater artists. We will be introducing the audio version here for the first time. It will be possible to watch the movie 'Dark World', written by Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu and directed by Metin Erksan, in 1952, in which Aşık Veysel is featured. I think this is the first time this film has been exhibited in its original form. They are also coming together for the first time in an exhibition."
"The original face mask, bought hours after my grandfather's death, will meet Veysel fans for the first time"
Nazender Süzer Gökçe, granddaughter of Aşık Veysel, also gave the following information about the exhibition:
"In the exhibition that we will open today, we are exhibiting my grandfather's stone record, long play, records, cassettes and CDs, unpublished books of my grandfather, together with the wet signatures of master photographers, oil paintings of my grandfather's long-time friend Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu and Eren Eyüboğlu. Aşık Veysel statue made by Alper Çınar and the original face mask bought by Yunus Toprak hours after my grandfather's death will meet with Veysel fans for the first time. Today has a special significance for us. My grandfather passed away physically at the age of 79. It has been 50 years since this separation. However, none of his works, his life, were translated into Braille alphabet for our visually impaired friends who saw my grandfather as a guide. With the support of our ministry, we published the book 'Aşık Veysel in the Press' with my husband Gürsel Gökçe, in Braille alphabet and as an audio book. After today's presentation, our books and our visually impaired friends will take their places in the libraries."
Erkan Doğanay, the curator of the exhibition, said that they are trying to prepare a chronology of all stages of Aşık Veysel's life in the project, adding: "Before the age of 7, Aşık Veysel only remembers that red color when he fell and bled his palm before he lost his sight. The only color he has known all his life is red. While we were building the main color of this exhibition, we started from red. Maybe there can be an emotional approach with Aşık Veysel. And you know, aside from his love, he is the leaven of the soil of the geography we call Anatolia. Perhaps one of the most important of the last century. Aşık Veysel tells us about brotherhood, friendship, living together, protecting nature and caring about nature. When you look at his words, you can see this whole philosophical approach."
At the opening, painter Süleyman Saim Pekcan, who contributed to the exhibition with the movie "Dark World", which also features Aşık Veysel from his own archive, made a speech.
About the exhibition
Aiming to convey Aşık Veysel's life and interviews, articles and news, to the future generations, the exhibition also includes photographs from the lens of Ara Güler, Fikret Otyam, Ozan Sağdıç, Mustafa Türkyılmaz, Ergun Çağatay and Anadolu Agency photojournalists of the period.
The paintings of Eren and Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu and Orhan Peker, the statue of Alper Çınar and the mask taken from Aşık Veysel's face by the painter Yusuf Toprak when he passed away are among the important works of the exhibition.
In the exhibition which brings together the 4-volume book "Aşık Veysel in the Press", prepared in Braille alphabet for the visually impaired, the audio version of the same book, is also performed by the theater artists.
The film "Dark World", which realistically reflects the life in Anatolia and featuring Aşık Veysel, is also presented to the audience for the first time in this exhibition.