Five artists that shaped me: Dilara Findikoglu
“I went to an Italian high school in Turkey where I discovered his paintings. As I’m fascinated with Greek mythology, I find the Goddesses and other magical elements depicted in his work really inspiring and each season there is definitely a Botticelli image in my research.”
“Everything in their paintings has a haunted quality, which I love and is relevant to a lot of my research. I’m interested in how they invert familiar and mainstream images into something dark, shocking, political and controversial. Would love to collaborate with them one day!”
“As a feminist, the strong female characters he portrays in his paintings and their stories really resonate with me. My particular favourites are: ‘Medusa,’ which was amazing to see in person in Florence and also ‘Judith beheading Holofernes.’”
“One of the most important things about her is that she kept producing new work until she died, which gives me hope that I could maintain the ability to keep being creative, even when I’m a lot older. I’m also inspired by the way in which she’s uses materials and techniques, such as tapestry and lace, which are typically viewed in the context of feminine domesticity and transforms them into something contemporary.”
“His work features elements of everything I love, from Turkish carpets to tattoos and religious symbols. I’m interested in the dark humour in his work, it can be quite disgusting and comical and yet, incredibly intricate with a lot of time and skill going into the pieces.”
