Ahmet Oran, 1957

Ahmet Oran undertook his undergraduate training in the studio of Adnan Çoker at the İstanbul State Academy of Fine Arts from 1977-1980. From 1980-1987 he studied for a master’s degree at the Vienna Academy of Applied Arts, pursuing various subjects in a number of different studios.

Oran’s pictures have an abstract character that makes no reference to a physical image. He is not concerned with creating an image on the canvas’ flat surface in accordance with the rules of perspective. His main source of inspiration for his paintings is the issue of the two-dimensionality of the canvas, a subject irrelevant to the other plastic arts. Oran deposits a sizeable lump of paint on a large spatula and spreads it over the picture’s entire surface. He then begins to uncover the monochrome layers underneath, until the painting has three-dimensional qualities.

These pictures, whose enigmatic depth is also achieved by rust or mould-like patches, suggest a problematic “essence” that is unknown and invisible. These works are dominated by their style and content, which Oran creates using color, dimension, technique and material. “Untitled” which was built up from a white background, demonstrates how Oran uncovers each layer of paint, as if opening it up to reveal what is beneath.