A TRIBUTE TO ARIF BUZ
(1957-2022)

The Hairdresser-Painter of Ayvalik

This exhibition differs from every exhibition we’ve presented thus far. I met Arif quite by accident in 2019 while visiting the Turkish Aegean town of Ayvalik. I was first struck by Arif’s impish looks and warmth. Then by the sympathetic honesty of his art. Art that reflects the daily lives of “broken people” (to quote Arif). And a way of life that is rapidly disappearing. The exhibited paintings lack the usual gallery descriptors, having been pulled together from a variety of sources. The titles, for the most part, are mine as well. As is the voice you will hear in the comments accompanying Arif’s work. The goal is simple—to pay homage to the beloved “hairdresser-painter of Ayvalik.”

–Walter L. Meyer, AWB Founder