“Expressing myself through colours is the ultimate feeling of relief.” —— Erkut Terliksiz
Whimsical, humorous, and colourful, Turkish visual artist Erkut Terliksiz’s works explore the expressive possibilities of the human condition, such as existence in time and space and fragility of life through his unique painterly approach. Merging human psychology and physical anatomy, he focuses on the ever-evolving representations of humans that exist in his fantasy world.
Painted in 2020, the otherworldly Aselvan features a blue-skinned boy immersing himself in the blessings of nature on a moonlit night. He is holding a tray full of fresh green apples, with a couple dropped onto his picnic blanket. The kettle of water next to him is being boiled on the stove, above which an adorable bird sitting on a branch captures the protagonist’s attention, causing him to look at it with his one eye. The blue skin immediately recalls endearing characters from the well-loved comic The Smurfs, along with the one eye showing, infusing a magical touch to the cosy and harmonious atmosphere of the work, and further enhanced by the loose yet confident brushstrokes evoking childlike playfulness.
The Istanbul-based artist was born in Adana in 1978. He graduated from the Department of Graphic Design at Mimar Sinan University in 2002 and had worked as a graphic designer before devoting himself to artmaking. His latest solo exhibitions include Oddities at JPS Gallery, Tokyo (4-30 December 2022), double solo show Yannick Chayer + Erkut Terliksiz at Galerie C.O.A., Móntreal (3 March to 2 April 2022), and Ding Dong Daddyat PLAN X gallery, Milan (12 November – 1 December 2021).
Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner