GAYLETTER

Spring Time, 2013, oil on canvas, 55 1/2 x 82 3/4 inches.

Taner Ceylan’s Lost Paintings

By GAYLETTER

We visited the solo exhibition of the German-born Turkish based “photo realist” artist, Taner Ceylan titled: ‘The Lost Paintings Series‘ — now on view at the Paul Kasmin Gallery in Chelsea. We were told by a GAYLETTER reader to check it out. After we left the gallery we were so glad we’d had a chance to see these incredible detailed large photo realist paintings that “bespeak absolute technical mastery and precision, but which are also freighted with an emotional and sexual dimension.”

We were so curious how Taner creates these artworks, and how he picks his subjects, so we decided to reach out to the artist for an interview.

The show closes this weekend, October 26, don’t miss it.

When did you start creating art? I was born into an artistic family, therefore painting was always a normal daily activity in my life.

How does where you live (Istanbul) influence your work? The intellectual climate has changed dramatically in Istanbul in the past few years. It’s near to impossible to make an exhibition now. Especially if the subject is related to history, there is a sensitivity increasing…

How do you describe your painting technique? I am trained as a classical painter. I love abstract painting but it’s not my thing. I am into realistic painting and art critics describe me as a hyper-realistic painter. However, I am this description is not enough for my work. So I describe my art as “emotional realism.”

Esma Sultan (The Lost Paintings Series), 2012, oil on canvas, 70 7/8 x 67 inches.

1640 (The Lost Paintings Series), 2010, oil on canvas, 84.65 x 55.12 inches.

Do you work from a photograph? Yes, sometimes I start with a specific picture I’ve taken. Also, in some cases, I bring several photos together to create a composition.

The press release says: “The Lost Paintings Series assemble a cast of lost characters…” Who are the lost characters and why are they lost? These are the stories of the people that you cannot find in the written history. Some are forbidden gay love stories, some are passionate stories of women who followed their dreams in such an impossible atmosphere. I prefer to paint Murat the 4th., Esma Sultan, Hurrem Sultan, Yusuf Khan…

What’s the main message you’re trying to convey with the ‘Lost Painting’ Series? As we know from the orientalist paintings, the realism of the orient has nothing to do with it. My aim is to show the reality of the orient. These are the paintings for me that aren’t painted, lost images in history; I caught and recorded them.

Can you talk about the homoerotic element in your work? My earlier works were based on homoerotic subjects. Now homoerotcism is a part of my compositions (but not the main focus). I am trying to add more levels in my work, like history, and also heterosexual esthetics…

Birth of Hope (From Lost Painting Series), 2013, oil on canvas, 84 1/4 x 54 3/4 inches.