GÜNGÖR TANER – NOBLESSE

Güngör Taner’s “Noblesse” Exhibition at DG Art Project

Güngör Taner, one of the pioneering figures of contemporary Turkish painting, is preparing to meet art lovers with his solo exhibition “Noblesse,” composed of dynamic works shaped through the harmony of light and color. Curated by Dr. Zeynep Öztürk, the exhibition will be on view at DG Art Project between February 27 and March 27, 2025. Taking its title from the French word “Noblesse,” meaning “nobility,” the exhibition emphasizes the autonomy of color, establishing a rhythmic balance between dark and light tones through an abstract approach.

A Rhythmic Dialogue Formed Through Color and Gesture

In Güngör Taner’s works, colors and forms transcend the boundaries of the canvas, creating balanced yet dynamic compositions across expansive surfaces. Within the artist’s understanding of painting, the bursts of painterly marks emerging over flatly painted surfaces and the rhythmic dialogue established between colors hold particular significance. By allowing colors to move freely, the artist constructs his own expressive language, adding depth through the contrast of dark and light tones while inviting the viewer to become part of this dynamism.

Balance in the artist’s works is not static but rhythmic and in constant motion. Colors generate a sense of flow through movements reminiscent of turbulent waves translated into an abstract visual language, radiating a calm yet powerful energy. Each composition presents a dance of color and light that nurtures the viewer’s sense of discovery.

The Dynamic Language of Color and Form

Güngör Taner masterfully brings contrasting colors together to create striking visual tensions. In his works, color emerges as the primary protagonist. Primary colors such as red, blue, and yellow stand out prominently within his compositions, interacting through fluid transitions. Employing each color through his distinctive artistic approach, the artist establishes a continuous dialogue between warm and cool tonalities across the pictorial surface.

The sense of color waves and splashes enhances visual depth, while rhythm functions as a guiding element that directs the viewer’s gaze from one point to another, reinforcing the dynamic structure of the work. Colors and forms move like figures within a dance. The palette used in his works carries traces of both exuberance and intensity while maintaining balance. The artist describes this equilibrium with the words:
“In my painting, the path to harmony emerges through the use of various contrasts within a certain movement and rhythm.”

ABOUT GÜNGÖR TANER

Born in Istanbul in 1941, the artist completed his art education in the Nurullah Berk Studio at the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts, now known as Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. During these years, Taner worked with Corneille at the Salzburg Summer Academy. He received the State Painting and Sculpture Exhibition Achievement Award in 1974 and 1976, and the Contemporary Artists 2nd Istanbul Exhibition Achievement Award in 1981.

Working within an abstract approach, Taner combines extremely dark and light tones to convey emotional depth to the viewer. In 2011, he published his book titled Rhythm and Movement. After many years of teaching at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, from which he later retired, the artist continues to live and work in Istanbul.