Turkish photographer opens 3D exhibition in US

NEW YORK

Renowned Turkish photographer Koray Kasap has launched a 3D painting exhibition in the U.S. state of New Jersey, featuring works that incorporate elements of Turkish culture.

Kasap, who made his mark in the 1990s with album cover photography for many Turkish artists, is now exhibiting a mixed collection at an open-air art gallery in Morristown.

A graduate of Mimar Sinan University’s Faculty of Fine Arts in Photography, Kasap said during the opening that he studied painting for two years under acclaimed Turkish painter Devrim Erbil. “I felt it was time to shift my focus to painting,” he said.

“Photography has become oversaturated. People have begun to think that every image is a photograph,” Kasap added, explaining that he plans to take a break from photography to devote more time to painting.

“I see painting as both a gift from God and a talent inherited from my father,” he said. “That’s why I didn’t want to sign my works. I see creating art in this field as a sort of moral obligation.”

Kasap previously held a photography exhibition in Brooklyn in 2015, inaugurated by Eric Adams, who now serves as the mayor of New York City. “This is my first painting exhibition, and the interest I’ve received has been very gratifying,” he noted.

His mixed exhibition features canvases transformed into three-dimensional works by incorporating a range of everyday materials. The diversity of subjects also stands out.

Among the most popular pieces in the exhibition are “The Dervish Who Tames His Ego,” “Hagia Sophia” and “Palestinian Mother,” which depicts a Palestinian mother shielding her two children under her keffiyeh. “I wanted to include one piece in my collection for Palestine,” he said.

Kasap said he intends to donate the proceeds from the sale of the painting to Palestinian children.

The Turkish artist also noted that he often avoids using commercial paints, opting instead for materials such as charcoal and coffee to create more transparent and organic textures on canvas.

His collection also includes a piece titled “Boxer,” inspired by legendary fighter Muhammad Ali, as well as several works centered around the motif of horses, which he believes hold a special place in human history.