Abstract:

This research aims to evaluate the artistic understanding of Nejad Melih Devrim, one of the leading names in Turkish painting, within the framework of the informal art features noted in Umberto Eco's The Open Work (Opera Aperta). The deviation from the figurative depiction and the open interpretation areas that the work leaves on the audience depending on this situation are depicted by the Eco as the distinctive qualities of informal art. In this sense, it is seen that informal art, which becomes synonymous with abstract art, makes it possible to be positioned against the gurative art tradition and to offer wide interpretation opportunities to the audience from a perceptual point of view. In this context, it was thought that it was important to examine Nejad Melih Devrim's understanding of art within the framework of the informal art features of Eco in terms of performing the first examples of abstract art in Turkish painting and its contribution to the development of abstract art in Turkey. As a result of the examinations carried out on the paintings representing the artistic understanding of Nejad Melih Devrim in the research, it was concluded that the artist's paintings presented a wide interpretation area to the audience, and accordingly, it was one of the first examples showing open work features in Turkish painting art. It has been understood that the non-gurative plastic effects (color, stain, texture, movement, harmony, etc.) observed in the artist's works enable original readings that find meaning in the audience's vision and artistic experiences. Based on the results of the research, suggestions were made for future research on the works of Nejad Melih Devrim in the last part of the research.