Ekspresionizmis

Ekspresionizmis is a term used primarily in Turkish and other Turkic languages to refer to the artistic style known in the Western canon as Expressionism. The word combines the root “ekspresyon” (expression) with the suffix “-izm,” signifying a movement or ideology. It entered the Turkish language in the early 20th century, influenced by the broader European modernist currents that swept through Istanbul and other cultural centres during the late Ottoman period and the early years of the Republic.

The core of Ekspresionizmis is a deliberate departure from realistic representation. Works emphasize internal feelings, psychological states, and the artist’s subjective interpretation of the world. Colour choices are often vivid or deliberately distorted, brushwork is vigorous, and forms may be exaggerated or abstracted to convey intense emotion. These characteristics mirror those of German Expressionism, Fauvism and Post-Impressionism, but Ekspresionizmis also incorporated local motifs and narratives, especially from Anatolian folk art and Sufi symbolism, to create a distinct regional voice.

Prominent Turkish figures associated with Ekspresionizmis include painter Abidin Dino, who blended figurative and abstract styles, and photographer Nail Salih, whose images captured the dramatic urban landscape of early Republican Istanbul. In literature, writers such as Yaşar Kemal used expressive language to evoke the harsh realities of the Anatolian countryside, aligning with the movement’s emphasis on emotional truth.

Ekspresionizmis has had a lasting impact on Turkish visual arts, inspiring subsequent generations of painters, photographers and writers to explore personal expression and emotional depth in their work. The movement remains an important chapter in the history of 20th‑century art in the region, illustrating how a global aesthetic can be reinterpreted within a local cultural framework.