Erol Erkmen - Turkey
About the artist
Member since the very beginning
Birth: 1951, Istanbul, Turkey
Marital Status: Married, 2 daughters
Residence: Istanbul
Profession:Colour Seperation Engineer
His interest in art had begun in 1970's, in a dark room of a technical school
in Istanbul.He says, "My very best work as a hoby, was making various film
screens and obtaining moire effects by rotating one on another one. I guess
those effects affected me pretty much. My first Photographic exhibition was based on
those works.I displayed lots of exhibitions during my education till 1984.I
gave photography lessons in some art-related schools.I studied on live
models. The next term was unproductive due to the my education of engineering.
I had to discontinue my art works for approximately 10 years. Most of my
works had remained incomplete. I decided to re-start after 1993. The technics
were improved, first of all I completed some incomplete nude studies. I had not
have time to display my works. I do not like people calling my works as Digital
Art, unfortunately the works done by computer programs and my works are
confused. I am a Photographic artist; because I do not study my works in digital
media.All my work arise on 1:1 sized films by using analog dark room technics.
In this respect,I could produce only few works in my whole art life.Some works need
studying on for 4-5 months. To sum up, I consider the photos I've taken and
choosen as a source. I sketch which effects I am going to use, which colors
that I am going to emphasise, for days. Then, I create half-tone color separation
films in the dark room.I separate the colors according to my own system,those
films are usually in the same size with the work.
Than, it is the most enjoyable part of the study, I make various maskings with
the screen films(pozitive or negative) which are specially prepared by me.I retouch them with
cyanide or some special dyes. To achieve the result costs pretty much time.
Especially the first series of dervishes, the effect of the astigmatic of my
eyes reflected on their swivels, I feel and see in this way.
Erkmen presents his works as oil-paintings. In this respect, he does not want
his works being reproduced.He adds, "Even the most perfect
photograph cannot reflect my personal opinions. I absolutely want to attach my
own virtual world to the image. Sometimes I like blue, sometimes I see the joy
in a vision, sometimes I get pessimistic, I just try to depict all my feelings
with colors, shadows, optical changes on the photos.
Also, Erol Erkmen is the chairman and founder of a world-wide known UFO
research organsiation; Tuvpo (Turkish UFO and paranormal events research
organisation, http://www.tuvpo.com). TUVPO is one of the rare organisations
which research UFO's and related topics in a scientific way. To explain all his
works here is so though. He is also respected as a Hi-Fidelity Purist. He only
listens Classical Music. His favourite composers are Mahler and Shostakovich.
