Analysis of Bülent Erkmen Poster Designs Between 2020-2021 by Erwin Ponofsky's Iconographic and Iconological Criticism Method

Abstract

In this study, the poster works designed by Bülent Erkmen between the years 2020-2021 after graduating from the Graphic Arts Department of the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts in 1972, who accomplished important works in the field of graphic design, were analyzed by Erwin Panofsky's Iconographic and Iconological Criticism method. The artistic features of the works evaluated with this criticism method have been revealed. In the study, Erkmen's compositional setup, the subject and content of the design, the artist's style, the symbols used were evaluated and the compromised meaning in the designs was tried to be emphasized. By evaluating the conventional meaning of 11 posters designed by Bülent Erkmen, the attention he paid to capture the integrity and signs appropriate to the subject in each poster was analyzed. In the study, literature review from descriptive analysis methods, document research from qualitative research methods and Secondary or conventional meaning (Iconographic Analysis) method, which is one of Erwin Panofsky's "Iconographic and Iconological Art Criticism" methods were used. Bülent Erkmen made an effort to reflect the continuity and the signs from the personal perspectives of the artists in the posters he designed between 2020-2021. The method he applied on the posters related to the exhibitions draws attention as a method of connecting with the works and artists in the exhibition content. It has been concluded that in most of his designs, he attaches great importance to this connection and additional continuity. Although the works differ from each other, the effort of the designer to present signs from the work and to maintain it shows a characteristic feature. For this reason, in some designs, the theme and symbols of the work in which the poster is explained rather than the design were examined. It has been concluded that Erkmen, who presents narratives with contemporary art lines, reveals the symbolic ties with the concepts, thoughts and behaviors in his art, with a correct and detailed understanding.