Mustafa Haluk Güçlü

Güçlü staged 45 new works in his 21st personal exhibition "Gökçeada Landscapes" between 17 and 22 August 2008 as part of Gökçeada Movie Festival. Lastly, Guclu tried to complete 54 pieces of miniature paintings about Erzurumlu Emrah in his workshop.

Guclu got cancer, his stomach was surgically removed in 2004. He kept working on his paintings despite his serious disease and pains. He held a painting exhibition in İzmir Painting-Sculpture Museum in commemoration of his painting teacher Mehmet Sabır in October 2006 in İzmir.

Güçlü's 19th personal exhibition was in Ankara in 2003, displaying a series of studies on superstitions. Udagan Kam, Vow Ceremony, Aşık Falı, Nazar Nene, Purification with Fire, Coffee Fortune-telling, The Peace Street, İje-Kil, The Portrait, In the Light of the Darkness are works of this period.

Guclu activated the painting workshop at the Culture Center in Erzurum. He held free courses there and opened a series of mixed and personal exhibitions under the name of " The Hands reaching towards the Art". In 1998, Güçlü held 'Atatürk with Portraits' exhibition Erzurum Painting and Sculpture Gallery where 17 paintings were displayed.

Güçlü worked as Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality Presidency of Culture and Art Consultant for two terms (1996–2000 and 2001–2004). Red Fountain, Aziziye, Nenehatun, İbrahim Hakkı Hz. Are the works of this period. The oil painting on the Commemorative Stamp of 300th Birthday of Erzurumlu İbrahim Hakkı is his work. His painting Aziziye 140x200cm is still hanging in the entrance hall of the Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality.

Guclu held many exhibitions in Antalya, Ankara and Erzurum. He published a declaration of the art movement "Inner Realism" at the Ömer Sunar Art Gallery in Ankara on August 4, 1995. He briefly presented his views on art with this manifesto to the public. He exhibited over 500 works with his philosophy of "Art is for the created deriving from God".

On 4 December 1995 Ali Karaavcı died. Güçlü commemorated him with an exhibition in Erzurum in March 1996. He published a catalog containing as many as one hundred paintings In June 1996. In the same year, he started to work as a lecturer in Atatürk University Fine Arts Faculty.

In the 1980s, his paintings were banned and subsequently removed from public display, to be destroyed.

Guclu painted the Sarıkamış Battleground during his compulsory military service as a lieutenant in the Turkish military. After 1980, he moved to İstanbul, where he produced illustrations, paintings, logos, graphic designs and book covers.

In the 1970s, while working as the publishing editor of the East Express newspaper, Güçlü drew daily stencil drawings. He met Ali Karaavcı from whom he received a philosophy education. Güçlü created paintings of local scenes, including Red Fountain, Leman, Çaykara, Emirgan, Karadeniz Tea Garden, Musalla Stone, Hülya, Serçeme Deresi, and Yakutiye.

In 1968, Güçlü started working as a correspondent for a local newspaper. He painted made-to-order portraits and posters and paintings for display boards at fairs and festivals. His paintings were also sold for interior decorating and as window-shop decorations.

Mustafa Haluk Güçlü (12 August 1951 – 18 August 2011) was a Turkish painter known for his paintings depicting Turkish culture and mythology. He was also known for being a portrait artist.

Güçlü, was born on the 12th of August 1951. At age 13, he created his first oil painting, titled “Winter in Erzurum,” painted on plywood. He was supported by his teacher, the painter Fuat İğdebeli, during his time at secondary school.