Taviloğlu Collection: A Collector’s Story

Mustafa Taviloğlu started his collection with a naive excitement in 1972, and with great passion and dedication, it has been growing for 52 years. Initially focused on painting, the collection has expanded over the years to include photography, sculpture, video, and installations, becoming one of Turkey’s most important private collections. From Primitives to the Republican period paintings, Turkish modernization, and contemporary art, the collection, which has increasingly included works by young artists since the 2000s, provides a broad overview of Turkish art history. The collection consists of 2,237 works by 930 Turkish artists, alongside 330 works by 175 foreign artists, totaling 2412 pieces. For Taviloğlu, collecting art, which he considers the third pillar of art after artists and institutions, is essential for a balanced art market. This responsibility also places obligations on collectors. Taviloğlu’s collection is the result of personal interest, curiosity, and passion. He also sees sharing this interest with the art audience as a responsibility. Taviloğlu, who published the first private collection book in Turkey, ‘Turkish Painting’, in 1997, continues to share his expanding collection. The Taviloğlu Collection actively plays a role in documenting and preserving artworks, protecting them for future generations, and making art accessible while raising the value of art in society. As a significant supporter of art in Turkey, Taviloğlu’s collection, created with works he carefully selected and formed strong connections with, offers a broad perspective on artists, periods, styles, techniques, and mediums. Taviloğlu continues to grow and diversify his collection, creating both a subjective and objective narrative of art history.

1972-1982: The First Ten Years

During the eight-year period from 1972, when Mustafa Taviloğlu first started buying art, to 1980, he acquired over 250 paintings. Though he says, ‘I had no intention of becoming a collector,’ this period marked the start of his passionate collecting journey. At that time, certain artists were regularly exhibited by the galleries. Yahşi Baraz worked with Edip Hakkı Köseoğlu, and Cumalı Gallery featured artists like Cevat Dereli and Ali Çelebi. During these first eight years, Taviloğlu began forming his collection from private galleries and later through personal friendships with painters.

1983-1992

The 1980s marked a new beginning worldwide, with socialist parties gaining power in many European countries and long-oppressed nations entering a period of relief. Turkey, on the other hand, faced a military coup on September 12, 1980, signaling a new period in the country’s history. In Turkey, from the 1970s onwards, private galleries increasingly took on the role of promoting art, especially in major cities like Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, as the state neglected museums. Private galleries and other intermediary institutions, filling a void left by the state, worked to create a platform for contemporary art throughout the 1980s. During this period, private galleries also worked hard to promote Turkish painting. By the early 1980s, the art market primarily consisted of works by deceased artists, particularly those of the ’14th Generation.’ Exhibitions dedicated to these artists became more frequent, and their works dominated the art market. As the availability of older works dwindled and prices increased, collectors gradually turned towards contemporary art. During this time, large-scale works were in demand, especially to fill the spacious offices of newly constructed business centers in the 1980s. Between 1980 and 1982, Taviloğlu had a falling out with Yahşi Baraz and stopped working with him, which he later regretted, saying, ‘I could have bought many more paintings during that time.’

1993-2002

The art market that formed in the 1980s began to focus on contemporary art in the 1990s. The institutionalization of the International Istanbul Biennials, the organization of curated exhibitions, and the Young Artists Exhibitions increased interest in young and new-generation artists. Turkey’s art scene also started to open up to the world in the 1990s. Until the 1990s, classical works dominated the art market. After that, there was a saturation point, and classical and Impressionist works became scarce. As a result, counterfeit works started appearing, leading to a shift in focus towards contemporary art.

2003-2012

During the 2000s, the topics of curatorship and institutionalization, which had been widely discussed in the 1990s, became prominent. Galleries supporting young artists started to open, and Taviloğlu began focusing on contemporary works. He added works from photography, sculpture, and other disciplines to his collection, which had previously been painting-focused.

2013-2024

In the 21st century, contemporary art practices in Turkey, such as digital art, video, photography, installation, and performance, shifted and diversified. Taviloğlu’s collection, which for 30 years was focused on painting, began including works from these different mediums in the 2010s. Taviloğlu purchased his first video work in 2011, ‘Coming Home’ by Haluk Akakçe (b. 1970). He later added more video works and installations, expanding his collection to include light boxes and mixed media works.