Yücel Dönmez Click for Artist Information

Yücel Dönmez

Yücel Dönmez (1956-    ) 

Born in Kars in 1956, Dönmez started his art education by graduating from the Construction Institute and entering the State Applied Fine Arts School with the first rank. The artist, who has been continuing his art work in Chicago since 1980, opened many exhibitions both in Turkey and America, and in 2000, he was accepted into the encyclopedia "Who is Who in Amerian Art in 2000", which shapes the history of American art. In this way, Dönmez, who gained a permanent place in American art history, was among the 63 artists from Chicago who participated in the famous art reference book "Art Diary Internatioal" published every year by Italy's famous Flash Art magazine. Since the artist's works are not a product of American culture, the artist is still considered a foreigner in America. For this reason, Dönmez, who returned to Turkey, benefits from his own geography, culture, traditions and history in his paintings and wants to carry this inspiration to a universal value. At the end of his works, in which he establishes the delicate balance he seeks with his instincts as an artist who questions the effects of colors on human psychology, the painting is completed when he sees that the first stain he puts on the canvas or material grows like a huge plant or a mountain. In addition, the works display Dönmez's state of mind when they were published. If he did it in a very joyful moment, his work will be lively, but if it is the opposite, a pessimism will definitely appear. At the same time, the artist, whose paintings show influences from marbling, calligraphy, calligraphy, monogram, decorative art and Byzantium, seems to have created contemporary syntheses based on traditional arts in his paintings.

Yücel Periodz, one of the most interesting artists of his field with a unique style in the world visual arts, continues his works in his workshops in Istanbul and Chicago. The artist, who has created many works in public spaces, has a permanent installation of 82 square meters in the Istanbul Anatolian Palace of Justice, as well as in metro stations. The works, which include elements of traditional Turkish art forms such as Ottoman calligraphy, tura, decorative art, ornamentation, marbling and weaving, contain unlimited emotions and thoughts in a colorful unity with each other. Yücel Dönmez reflects art to us as an extraordinary, surreal and dramatic world. This technique of the artist, who demonstrated the contemporary synthesis of Turkish-Islamic art for the first time at The Art Institute of Chicago, also takes its place on US national channels with its innovative structure.

Awards:
2003 ‘Who is Who in American Art’ prize plaquette
Dönmez has been recognised by American art critics (Alan Artner, Chicago Tribune, 1989) as an artist who has shed new light upon the art of painting with his self-developed painting techniques. He obtained ‘The National Medal of Art’ one of the most important awards in the United States in 1995, for his 11-year-long dedication to bringing art to education working with Urban Gateways.
Other awards Yücel Dönmez has been given include the following:
1983 ‘Urban Gateways Award for Painting’. 11 of Dönmez’ paintings were given prizes and added to the art collection of 11 schools who have been working with the Organisation for over 25 years.
1993 ‘Outdoor Art Award’. Dönmez was given the ‘Outdoor Art Award’ for his ‘snow painting’ project in today’s Millennium Park in Chicago, sponsored by five different organisations.
1987 ‘Chicago’s Very Own’. Dönmez appeared four times on the main news of one of America’s national television channels, WGN. He received the prestigious ‘Chicago’s Very Own’ status in 1987 (other winners of the award in later years included Michael Jordan).
1987 The Art Institute of Chicago. During the 1987 Sultan Süleyman exhibition, Dönmez was awarded the chance to display his artwork at the ‘Junior Museum’, sponsored by the Art Institute of Chicago, one of the three biggest museums in the US. He was awarded this by the assessment committee of the museum.
1984 Illinois State Ethnic Heritage Commission Award was given to Dönmez as the representative of Turkish painting.