EXTENDED ABSTRACT
Introduction The concept of "drama," defined as a multidimensional phenomenon encompassing an individual's behaviors, actions, and attitude towards life, serves as a significant expressive tool in the art of painting. The shaping of dramatic expression in painting was decisively influenced by the Expressionist movement, which emerged in Germany in the early 20th century as a reaction against naturalism. Expressionist artists rejected descriptions based on the objective representation of reality, aiming instead to convey sensory and spiritual effects beyond the visible through line, color, and form. In this context, figurative elements in event-based narratives containing dramatic content were handled with an Expressionist language, visually reinforcing dramatic tension. This study aims to examine the determinant effects of dramatic elements on figurative expression within the scope of the Expressionist art approach. It specifically focuses on how Expressionist tendencies were shaped in post-1950 Turkish painting and how they integrated with dramatic narration, evaluating the aesthetic and narrative impact created by the combination of figurative elements and dramatic composition.
Methodology This research was conducted using a qualitative research approach based on the general survey model. Data collection involved document analysis and artwork examination methods. Through document analysis, the theoretical and historical literature regarding Expressionism, the figure, and dramatic expression was scanned. The artwork examination was carried out through formal, semantic, and narrative analyses of selected works. The universe of the study consists of figurative works containing concepts of expression and drama. The sample includes selected works by Western artists Edvard Munch, James Ensor, Vincent van Gogh, and Oskar Kokoschka, as well as Turkish artists Neş’e Erdok, Neşet Günal, Komet (Gürkan Coşkun), Mustafa Esirkuş, and Aydın Ayan. The selection of these artists was based on the prominence of emotional intensity, dramatic narration, and figurative expressive power in their works.
Findings The examination of Western art revealed that the figure is used as a primary carrier of dramatic expression. Edvard Munch’s The Scream is identified as a concrete indicator of fear, panic, and psychological tension through the deformed facial expression and body language of the figure. James Ensor’s The Banquet of the Starved documents the devastation of war with a grotesque language, using insects instead of food to create a striking dramatic effect. Vincent van Gogh’s The Potato Eaters reflects physical and spiritual weariness through figures with bony facial features and a limited color palette, while Oskar Kokoschka’s The Tempest transforms individual trauma into a universal narrative of love and pain through dynamic composition.
In the context of contemporary Turkish painting, the study found that artists process individual and social themes with emotional intensity. Neş’e Erdok’s Gece Vapuru (Night Ferry) utilizes deformed limbs and clumsy bodies to reflect the melancholy and life struggle of individuals in lower socio-economic groups. Neşet Günal’s Yaşantı II (Life II) presents the struggle of Anatolian people against poverty with a monumental figure approach; exaggerated hands and feet symbolize the heavy responsibility and resistance of the figures. Komet’s Untitled creates an atmosphere of tension and anxiety through the figures' postures and uncertain gazes, pointing to an "untold story". Mustafa Esirkuş’s Hamile Köylü Kadın (Pregnant Peasant Woman) documents the difficulty of rural life, symbolizing the physical burden of the figure. Finally, Aydın Ayan’s Sofra Başında (At the Table) reinforces the atmosphere of deprivation through dark tones and a confined space, creating a deep empathetic tremor in the viewer regarding the figures' shared destiny.
Conclusion The study concludes that in Expressionist painting, the handling of the figure within the axis of drama concretizes art's potential to make inner experiences visible and deepen emotional intensity. The figure ceases to be merely an anatomical representation element and transforms into a symbolic structure carrying the artist's spiritual world, the socio-cultural atmosphere of the period, and layers of meaning addressing the viewer's unconscious. Formal distortions, disproportion, sharp gestures, and intense color contrasts emerge as fundamental plastic elements strengthening dramatic expression. The strategic deformation of reality allows for the expression of individual pains and social unrest in a universal language. Consequently, the use of the figure in the context of drama in Expressionist paintings demonstrates that art offers a powerful narrative and emotional transmission area beyond aesthetic expression, proving that this approach provides a current and transformable ground for expressing contemporary problems and individual sensitivities.