More often than not, photographs give better life to subjects compared to paintings. Perhaps this is because cameras capture moments in real time, while paintings are more of a reflection of the artist’s trail of imagination and emotions at the time of their creation.
But Can Çetinkaya of Istanbul begs to differ. Paintings, as a matter of fact, can tell clearer and better stories than any photo could — so clear and meaningful, just one quick glance can send shudders down your spine.
His photos have tremendous traces of expressionism and modernism in them, with beautiful, beautiful textures on all the right occasions. Çetinkaya evidently has a way with lines and curves that makes this lady’s coat look realer than any other living organism in any photo or painting:
It’s awe-inspiring how Can is able to create deep wells of emotions using the eyes of his subjects. Amid the vibrant colors and overwhelming brush strokes, it’s easy to see the heart-wrenching misery and sadness in his subjects’ faces. Is it just us? Or were the noses of the subjects in these portraits intentionally painted to have a rosy tinge that may (or may not) signify they’ve been crying? Either that or they’ve been having a really bad case of the colds.
Can is also great at creating illusory paint overlaps that successfully give it a close to 3-dimensional finish. Case in point:
These paintings also have a pseudo-decoupage feel to them because of the textures.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez fans (Love in the Time of Cholera and One Hundred Years of Solitude) will love this portrait of the award-winning novelist:
Contrary to what most photographs show of a candid, smiling Gabriel, Can’s cartoon interpretation of the Spanish author’s portrait is more on the somber side. The greatest catch is that if you know Gabriel Garcia Marquez too well, you’ll recognize it’s him nonetheless.
More of Can’s works here:
http://cancetinkaya.tumblr.com/
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