The East and the West have been affecting each other’s culture, science and technology for centuries. However, the East-West interaction in art has brought cultural dialog with it as well. Artists play significant roles in transmitting the culture of Anatolia to future generations and unearthing its history. Önder Aydın raises awareness by depicting the wars, beliefs and cultures of the earlier civilizations within Turkey’s current borders in his artworks. Thus, it is significant to consider the artist, his artworks and perception on art. This study was conducted using case studies, a qualitative research method. Its data were obtained by doing a review of the literature and using a semi-structured interview form with 20 questions concerning Aydın’s artworks. These open-ended and semi-structured questions were prepared by the researcher. Descriptive analysis was used to interpret the review of the literature and the artist’s responses to the questions. This study concluded that the artist depicts the mythological and historical subjects of his artworks in two dimensions using mosaics and oil painting. He has raised awareness by interpreting culturally valued works in a modern way, contributed to art history on the national and international levels, and sustained Anatolia’s cultural heritage, not with facsimiles, but with original artworks and an authentic artistic style.
Keywords: Önder Aydın, Turkish painting, Turkish art, mythology, art in Anatolia