TEM Art Gallery was founded on Jan. 18, 1986, with the gallery "Turkish Artists in Paris," when there were few art galleries to support the passion and endeavors of those in the art scene. Thus, TEM was established, featuring the respectable Turkish artist and Paris native Ömer Kaleşi in its first gallery in collaborative efforts, which shall continue in a new exhibition featuring Kaleşi's personal works from Jan. 17 to March 4.

Tem Sanat has published five comprehensive books on the acclaimed works of Kaleşi who has also participated in various collective exhibitions across Turkey and elsewhere, organized by TEM Gallery and included in publications and books.



Ömer Kaleşi was first introduced to painting and art at the Henry Moore exhibition at Davut Pasha Turkish Bath in the Macedonian capital of Skopje. Then, he moved to Turkey, achieving his dreams and becoming a painter at the Istanbul Fine Arts Academy, graduating in 1965. Fifty years later, Kaleşi's enthusiasm for the arts has continued and the artist's personal works as well as the collaborative works have featured in exhibitions both in Turkey and around the world ever since.

Recently written by French author Gil Jouannaud, the book titled, "Ömer Kaleşi: Still-Life Paintings" captures the artist's natural paintings, which depict images of fruits painted using a spatula. The book was translated into Turkish by Kaya Özsezgin.

Speaking about his artistic life, Kaleşi said: "I have been painting since my days in fine arts school. I have created thousands of visages. I don't know why I like portraits; it's always been my power and will continue to be. All my life is built on these heads. I think the head comes first before the body; it manages and gives commands to the body. So when I'm painting a head I'm painting a person. The body is useless; it doesn't have any effect on anything. The head is adequate. With the head, you don't need the body."

According to the artist, some heads resist; then, you get the still life paintings or apples sold by street children. Working with a spatula instead of a brush, Kaleşi applies a unique method that combines an abstract nature with figurative elements by expending the paint on the canvas from the inside outward.

Art lovers who miss the chance to visit the exhibition can access it online along with details about artists featured in the gallery and past exhibitions by visiting the link: www.temartgallery.com.