Mustafa Cetin

Mustafa Çetin is a Canadian visual Artist and curator based in Toronto. With a practice spanning more than thirty years, he explores the human figure, memory, and belonging through layered painted surfaces. His life across Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and Canada informs his engagement with identity, migration, and the inner journey.

Çetin graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Hacettepe University in 1992 and completed his Master of Fine Arts at the University of East London in 2000. He settled in Toronto in 2001.

Beginning with collage and dense layers of paint, Çetin gradually introduced text, marks, and human figures into his work. This exploration laid the foundation for paintings that move between figuration and abstraction. Figures sometimes emerge distinctly, then dissolve into colour and texture, while traces and overlapping layers connect past and present.

The winged forms and protective figures that appear in some of his paintings explore vulnerability, the desire for protection, and the search for self. Çetin leaves these images open to interpretation, allowing viewers to connect with the work through their own experiences.

Alongside his painting practice, Çetin curates exhibitions and develops projects that bri...

2000 — Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
University of East London, London, United Kingdom

1992 — Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
Hacettepe University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Ankara, Türkiye

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2021 — Mustafa Çetin 3D Art Show
Kunstmatrix Online Gallery. Curated and sponsored by I.C.O.

2018 — Time, Space & Me
The Peach Gallery, Toronto, Canada

2015 — Expression
Montgomery’s Inn Community Museum, Toronto, Canada

2014 — Retrospective Exhibition 2002–2014
Turkish Federation Community Foundation, Toronto, Canada

2012, 2008, 2004 — Solo Exhibitions
Gallery Hittite, Toronto, Canada

2006 — Hope
Art Square Gallery, Toronto, Canada

1994 — Solo Exhibition
Vision Art Gallery, Kyrenia, Cyprus

SELECTED TWO-PERSON AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2026 — The Soul in Five Forms
Etobicoke Civic Centre Art Gallery, Toronto, Canada
February 25 – March 26
Curator and participating artist

2025 — Representation & Abstraction
LVAC Gallery, Toronto, Canada
November 13/30
Two-person exhibition with Vladimir Topal

2021 — Spring Art Show
Virtual 3D exhibition. Curated by I.C.O.

2021 — Expression
Çetin Art Studio Online 3D Gallery. Curated and sponsored by I.C.O.

2020 — Our Roots & Beyond
Gallery 1313, Toronto, Canada

2017 — Art Fusion
Arta Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Group exhibition featuring Ukrainian and Turkish artists

2016 — Mavi Art Group Exhibition
Gallery Hittite, Toronto, Canada

2016 — Colours from A...