Istanbul's iconic Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) will host three special events as part of a renowned Turkish artist and academician, Hüsamettin Koçan's autobiographical exhibition "The Thorn in My Foot." A concert will be held simultaneously with the show and the tours organized under the guidance of Koçan will provide art lovers with a colorful experience.

Koçan's exhibition "The Thorn in My Foot," the 44th solo show by the artist, was opened as part of the Beyoğlu Culture Road Festival at the AKM Gallery on June 2. The show was displayed at Baksı Museum in northeastern Bayburt province's Bayraktar village for the first time.

"The Thorn in My Foot" is about returning to Baksı, the village where Koçan was born and built a museum many years later. The artist brings together the childhood images he chose from his memory, innocent and unique experiences in the show.

Describing the life of a subject, who looks at the past from present and dreams of the future, is certainly about imagination because of the past and all narratives about the past life through the effort of dreams. Therefore, such action is somewhat hazy, making it more fairy tale. Koçan's attempt to tell the past, which is the guest of this hazy and dream world, places silence and simplification in the center and shares a purified imaginary reality with the audience.

The phenomenon of migration, the world of fairy tales, change, inexhaustible hopes and starting points for the future are the themes of Koçan's exhibition, while the artist's interest in local culture and greeting craftsmen add a different dynamic to the 3D world of it. Koçan defines this exhibition, for which he dived into his childhood and Baksı, as the reconstruction of confronting the impossibility of returning.

The basic motifs of Koçan's art, such as soil, memory, expatriation, loneliness, reunion and disappearance, are expressed through sculptures, paintings and installations in simple forms in "The Thorn in My Foot." Works of the show were produced through techniques such as natural materials, mixed materials, metal and wood. Offering an insight into Koçan's personal history, the exhibition can be visited at AKM Gallery until July 28.

Additionary events

The side events comprise a concert titled "Our Instrumental Anatolian Melodies," which will carry the ancient melodies of Anatolia to AKM, and the tours will offer a unique experience to visitors. The events present an opportunity to experience Koçan's art in "The Thorn in My Foot," accompanied by music and the artist's narration. They also bring the artist and art lovers together and lay the groundwork for new dialogues.

"Our Instrumental Anatolian Melodies" concert will take place tomorrow at AKM Gallery along with Koçan's "The Thorn in My Foot." Musicians Savaş Kahraman, Fuat Ikiz and Emirhan Kartal will perform the emotional melodies of Anatolia with their Anatolian instruments of divan saz, bağlama and cura. Visitors will examine the works of award-winning Koçan by listening to the melodies born from Anatolian lands.

Koçan will also meet with art lovers at AKM Gallery on July 20 and 27 as part of the guided tours of his exhibition. The attendees, who will have the opportunity to listen to the artistic production and inspiration of the successful painter, will gain unique information about the artist's works and life.

Contributions to Turkish Art

Koçan, who took an active role in establishing the Turkish branch of the UNESCO organization International Art Association (AIAP) and assumed the chairpersonship of the association's board of directors between 1990-1995, is known for his numerous contributions to Turkish art. The artist, also the founder of Baksı Museum and Istanbul Art Fairs, worked as the dean of Marmara University Fine Arts Faculty between 1997-2005 and Okan University Fine Arts Faculty in 2009. Koçan, who contributed to the economic development of Bayburt's Bayraktar village with the Baksı Museum, played an important role in the survival of the traditional handicrafts of the region, as well. The Turkish Grand National Assembly awarded the artist the Honor Award in 2014.