COPLU
ARTIST OF LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
Coplu a self-taught artist, was born in Ushak, Turkey, in 1958. His family migrated to Istanbul when he was 6 and he lived there for thirty years. The sixties and seventies were periods of optimism, socialism and humanism in his country as well as around the world, but the 80’s brought very different political and social periods. When he was studying at the Technical University of Istanbul to become a mining engineer, he witnessed great turmoil among the youth and his daily life was effected by riots and demonstrations, which he wanted to document. In 1980, the military took over the power of governing and censorship was applied in almost every acts of life. In response to censorship and oppression of freedom of expression, he began drawing cartoons. His passion for drawing grew and it was not long before his art became more important to him than his studies.
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He participated in his first art exhibition in Istanbul in 1984, followed by many solo exhibitions in Turkey and group exhibitions in Italy, Japan, France, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Spain, USA and Canada. His illustrations have been published in numerous magazines, newspapers, books and catalogues both in Turkey and across Europe. Since his first international recognition in 1989 with the Nasreddin Hodja International Cartoon Competition Special Talent Award, he has received 25 awards in national and international competitions, including second prize in cartoon competition in Okhotsk - Japan.
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He contributed cartoons to the Turkish Daily News for 5 years. He established the Cartoon School of Antalya, the Open Air Cartoon Exhibition Space and, organized International Cartoon Competition of Antalya in 1991-1993. He taught many pupils the art of seeing the humorous side of life.
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He has been exploring forms of visual art and he developed his own style of painting last fifteen years. The subjects of his paintings are always human beings and the environment that he is part of. His work mirrors human beings’ positive feelings; such as love, dream, passion, hope, laugh, beliefs, thoughts, and wishes. He has been interviewed by many media, his work has been recently documented by Channel News Asia and screened in Singapore and other 22 countries in Asia. His paintings are mainly bought by private collectors and institutions. 12 of his limited editions are printed by Aurora Fine Art and Buckingham Fine Art Publishers, distributed and sold in galleries through out in the UK.
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He has been working on three dimensional arts in recent years as well and produced 6 sculptures from the figures and scenes of his paintings. One of the largest sculptures, titled “Nature of Love-Warmth”, was permanently placed in Singapore Changi Airport’s recently launched Terminal 4. He continuously traveling between three continents; observing people and their cultures, attending to workshops, charity events, Art Fairs, holding exhibitions as well as artist talks.
REPRESENTING GALLERIES
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Ode To Art - SINGAPORE
Gallery 444 - SAN FRANCISCO - USA
Beijing Central Art Gallery - BEIJING - CHINA
V’Art Space - KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA
Wertheim Gallery - HAWAII - USA
Gallery Rouge- London - UK
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SOME SOLO EXHIBITIONS
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2019- Bonds of Love- V’art Space- Art Taipei & Paujan Gallery - Taiwan
2019- Spring of Love- Ode To Art Gallery - Singapore
2019- Spring of Love-Asia Contemporary Art Show - Hong Kong
2018 - Asia Contemporary Art Show - Hong Kong
2017 - Fly To L0ve- Ode to Art Gallery - Singapore
2015 - Heart To Heart - Simyo Gallery - Seoul-S. Korea
2014 - Mankind in Universe- Art Revolution - Taipei Taiwan
2011 - State of the Art Gallery - Hong Kong
2011 - Love;It takes Two- Ode to Art Gallery - Singapore & Kuala Lumpur
2009 - Land of Love and Dream- Ode to Art Gallery - Singapore& Kuala Lumpur
2009 - Art Attack Gallery - Dubai
2009 - State of the Art Gallery - Hong Kong
2008 - Ode to Art Gallery - Singapore & Kuala Lumpur
2007 - State of the Art Gallery - Hong Kong
2006 - MJC des 4 Bordes Metz - France
2003 - Eurocentre-La Rochelle - France
2002 - Room George Chepfer Nancy - France
2001 - Int.Contemporary Art Fair Malaga - Spain
2000 - Galleri Hittite Toronto - Canada
1999 - Vienna Centre - Vienna - Austria
1998 - Caravanserai Aksaray - Turkey
1997 - State Fine Art & Sculpture Museum - Izmir - Turkey
1996 - Pimapen Culture House -Istanbul - Turkey
1996 - Atelier House - Hamburg - Germany
1996 - State Fine Art & Sculpture Museum - Ankara - Turkey
1995 - Hilton Exhibition Hall - Istanbul - Turkey
1995 - Archaeological Museum Art Gallery - Antalya - Turkey
1994 - Pamukkale Museum - Denizli - Turkey
1993 - Cartoon Alley - Antalya - Turkey
1992 - Is Bank Art Gallery - Antalya - Turkey
1991 - State Fine Art Gallery - Antalya - Turkey
1989 - Akbank Art Gallery - Istanbul - Turkey
1988 - Culture Center Exh. Hall - Eskisehir - Turkey
1985 - Antalya Municipality Culture Center - Turkey
1984 - Bilim Art Gallery - Istanbul - Turkey
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
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2018 Art Taipei - Taiwan
2017 Art Expo - Malaysia
2014 Affordable Art Fair - Hong Kong
2011 2012 Art Revolution - Taiwan
2009 Gallery 444 San Francisco - America
2009 Howe Street Gallery - Vancouver - Canada
2007 Lando Gallery, Edmonton - Canada
13th Rassegna Umoristica Internazionale - Italy
17th Biennial Internazionale Dell'Umorismo Nell'Arte - Italy
22th Salon International de la Caricature - Canada
International Simavi Cartoon Exhibitions - Turkey
2nd International Tehran Biennial - Iran
3rd Taejon Int'l Cartoon Contest - Korea
Premio Satira Politica - Italy
Eurohumor - Italy
Okhotsk International Cartoon Exhibitions - Japan
Annual Int. Nasreddin Hodja Cartoon Exhibitions since 1988 - Turkey
World Cartoon Gallery - Macedonia
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SELECTED AWARDS AND HONORS
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Special Talent Prize Int. Nasreddin Hodja Cartoon Competition - Turkey
2nd Prize, International Okhotsk Cartoon Competition - Japan
Honorable Mention, International Taejon Cartoon Competition - Korea
3rd Prize, International Simavi Cartoon Competition - Turkey
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HIS WORK​ HAD BEEN REPRESENTED BY THE GALLERIES
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Lahaina Galleries, Hawaii - USA
State Of The Art Gallery - HONG KONG
Howe Street Gallery of Fine Art-Vancouver - CANADA
Lando Gallery - Edmonton - CANADA
Fingerhut Galleries - California USA
Nexus Modern Art Gallery - Melbourne - AUSTRALIA
The Link Gallery- Colorado - USA
Collection Privee- Miami - USA
Webster Galleries - CANADA
Art Attack Gallery - DUBAI
Jacob Gallery- Toronto - CANADA
Simyo Gallery- Seoul - SOUTH KOREA
Simon Patrick Gallery - Vancouver - CANADA
Auraro Art- Dewsbery - UK
Artisan Galleries- Epping - UK
Bailey Arts- Cheshire - UK
Rennies Gallery- Liverpool - UK