UNDRGRND ARTIST: HALIL IBRAHIM CETINKAYA
SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2023
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Beauty is in the chaos.
Our lives become more hectic with each passing day. Many of us too busy to catch up with those we care about because of our need to support our lifestyle.
Turkish photographer Halil Ibrahim Cetinkaya slows the world down when we cannot do it for ourselves. His work captures the ever-moving city of Istanbul.
“Turkiye,” Halil says, “especially Istanbul, is a cultural heaven. You can feel the history in every inch of land, from streets, buildings, places and the sea. It helps me to always be motivated to create art. Our nation has so many cultures from the Middle East all the way up to Andalucia.”
Filled with a diverse population there are many differences, but many similarities we all share. Halil’s work captures the buzzing lights of people commuting at night. Where do they go? Why does it need to be this way?
“There’s a series called “Heroes” where a guy from Asia has the ability to stop time. I wanted to freeze the moment and capture the light movement to create a mystery like its process. When you try to shoot long exposure, you cannot predict the exact shot because of movements. Sometimes it will be awesome and sometimes it’s not. For me, the main reason for using long exposures is light trails, to see people mystery around us. I choose everyday locations so people can recognize places. It’s a way out for me from hectic city life.
The “Light Trails”, is to tell secrets of light and create a moment to people can “exit the matrix”. 3 main components to shoot long exposure are movement, light, and enough time to capture. I capture mostly more than 30 seconds to get smoother trails.
To contrast the constant demand for attention, to always be moving forward, Halil’s collection Heroes of Art asks us all to slow down and appreciate the methodical focus it takes for craftsmanship.
“I focused on the traditional artists’ lives and made them immortal in a digital way, plus, if possible, to help those traditional artists with sales to encourage them to continue their art.”
So while the exhaustion from the fast-paced, commercial life of the city, or the palpable fumes from cars and buses filled with tired workers, may resonate with us, Halil asks viewers to stop for a moment. If we imagine these tail lights of those going home to people they love and care for suddenly the haste in which they move is justifiable and warranted. All our struggles are for those waiting to spend with us at the end of the day. What we rush towards is what the focus should be.
Or in simpler pop-culture terms, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and take a look around, you might miss it.”
So pay attention. Halil sure is.
