The most difficult topics to comprehend are abstract. In my new project, "Fog," I ask myself questions: "Is time relative or absolute? Is consciousness a derivative of reality? Or, perhaps, on the contrary, does the world around us turn out to be a product of our consciousness?"
The name "Fog" refers to the ephemerality and immateriality of the concept of "time," which serves as the main character here. This is further emphasized by the plot and modest color scheme of all the works. The image of time is conveyed through natural motifs: swamps, thaws, and wild forests that, at first glance, seem to dissolve all traces of human activity. It appears all-encompassing, erasing numerous events from the face of the earth and engulfing entire civilizations.
Can anything resist this power? Hypertrophied monuments and fragments of the ancient past, which appear in the works of the Fog series amidst fields and thickets, are called upon to provide an answer. These colossal and majestic sculptures, defying physical laws, rise like silent beacons above the wilderness and untamed nature. However, they did not emerge out of nowhere. They were created by human hands and hold a significant place in cultural memory. They illustrate the power of thought, great ideas, and art, which, according to the author, have the ability to subdue the relentless passage of time.
Each era leaves behind a silent witness—an idea expressed through works of art. They become milestones, symbols of time, reference points, and guides for humanity in a changing world. History, its meaning, and its role serve as the motivational core of the entire project.
Assessing the scale and true value of ongoing phenomena is challenging when one is at the epicenter of events. Distance is required for understanding. Thus, on the canvases, antique statues are always depicted in the distance, rising above the landscape, offering hope that the strength of the spirit and thought can defy the inevitability of time, history, and the laws of nature.
The project showcases both paintings and graphic works created using mixed media, including an unexpected material—Istanbul land. This serves as an important conceptual point, highlighting the overarching idea. After all, this city, at one point, became a center of ancient tradition's development and later, in the historical process, acquired the role of the Byzantine capital.
