Semih Çınar (TR)
Turkish artist Semih Çιnar’s woodcuts illustrate a relationship between his characters and industrial production. His lone figures find themselves either working or being mere spectators to the processes of the factories around them.
Çιnar chooses a soft color palette that seems almost surprising in such a setting. The soft blue, purple and pink hues bring to mind the color of the sky when it’s really early or late in the day, bringing forth the questions of long hours and hard working conditions. At the same time, these colors give the pieces a very calm look, with the factories feeling almost silent.
Surveillance is one theme that is common across all works. There is always someone watching, either a sentient being, human or animal, or a camera mounted on the wall. Adding another layer of surveillance is the viewer’s gaze itself.
Semih Çınar (TR)
Çιnar’s characters are but dark shadows, with no distinguishable characteristics. This could be interpreted as them being just invisible parts of a larger machine, namely the industrial production. They have, however, an enchanting quality about them.
Despite the brighter colors, the viewers’ eyes are caught by those enigmatic characters. Çιnar creates interesting, almost entrancing scenes, with a calmness and air of mystery about them that captivates the viewer.
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