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USA
Midwest
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Columbus, OH
Levent Isik
1961-
Painting & sculpture (unconventional material)
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Information:
Born in 1961 in Istanbul, Turkey and living now in Columbus, Ohio, Levent is a rising star in the self-taught art genre. His colorfully framed paintings delight the senses and are often three-dimensional in composition.
Levent Isik began painting in the late 1980's out of "sheer boredom". He'd recently moved to Columbus from Cleveland, leaving friends and his previous life behind (Levent was born in Istanbul and raised in Montreal). The first image he painted was that of a Jester, partly because he felt like something of a fool for moving to this new environment, and partly because, like a jester or a clown, Levent was entertaining himself. This self-referential jester figure shows up in many of Levent's paintings.
Actually, the word "paintings" does not do justice to Levent's work. Much of his work is 3 dimensional, as he builds up shapes on his surfaces with nails covered in water putty. He paints with a high gloss enamel, and all of his brightly colored works are so shiny they almost look like the paint is still wet.
To further add character, Levent will incorporate found objects, like doll's eyes, or paint brushes lined up to make a horse's mane. Levent feels his paintings are not sacred things, and encourages the viewer to touch them, to feel the various textures.
He never had any intention of selling his paintings until one day a Greenpeace canvasser came to his door. The canvasser also happened to be a folk art collector, who saw Levent's walls, covered with paintings, and offered to buy one. He showed it to several folk art dealers and Levent soon found out there was a market for his work. At the same time he befriended an eccentric old man who lived in his neighborhood. That old man turned out to be the great artist William Hawkins, and Levent spent time with him, getting to know him and watching him paint, and being inspired by this great genius.
Self-Taught Folk Artists: "Levent Isik"
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Bibliography:
"Detour Art—Outsider, Folk Art, and Visionary Folk Art Environments Coast to Coast, Art and Photographs from the Collection of Kelly Ludwig" by Kelly Ludwig, Kansas City Star Books, 2007.
On DVD - Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations, "Next Stop New England", KCPT, Kansas City Public Television, 2003.
"20th Century American Folk, Self Taught, and Outsider Art" by Betty-Carol Sellen, Cynthia J. Johnson, Neal-Schuman Publishers, New York, 1993.
"Self Taught, Outsider, and Folk Art—A guide to American Artists, Locations and Resources" by Betty-Carol Sellen with Cynthia J. Johnson, McFarland & Company, 2000.
"Contemporary American Folk Art - A Collector's Guide" Chuck and Jan Rosenak, Abbeville Press, 1996.
"Flying Free: Twentieth-Century Self-Taught Art from the Collection of Ellin and Baron Gordon" by Ellin Gordon, Barbara L. Luck and Tom Patterson, exhibit catalog for The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center, 1997.
"American Self-Taught Art: An Illustrated Analysis of 20th Century Artists and Trends with 1,319 Capsule Biographies" by Florence Laffal and Julius Laffal, 2003.
"Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations Coast to Coast Travel-o-Pedia" by Randy Mason, et. al., Kansas City Star Books, 2009. |
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