Utku Varlık

Utku Varlık was born in Bolu in 1942. He graduated from the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts in 1966. He was trained in the workshops of Bedri Rahmi Eyupoğlu and Sabri Berkel during 1961 and 1966. Afterwards, he continued his education in engraving and lithography workshops. He went to Paris on a scholarship from the Turkish state in 1970. He studied lithography in the Cachan Workshop and worked under George Dayez at National School of Fine Arts in Paris between 1971 and 1974. Varlık worked on lithography at the Cachan Studio in Paris. He has had 23 solo exhibitions and participated in 22 group exhibitions both in Turkey and abroad. During the first years of his work, the artist′s figures were predominantly shaped by expressionism. To be specific, the political situation of 1960s and 1970s influenced him to draw expressionist paintings. After 1975, the artist directed himself towards an imaginative expressive style. He perceives the "figure" as an indispensable element of nature. According to him, reflections of figures can be seen in nature. His paintings can be seen in various public and private collections in Turkey and abroad.