
TURAN AKSOY
TURKEY
The Passion and The Daywatch, 2013-2015
Acrylic and oil on canvas
Featureless, pink humanoid figures in an emerald fairytale forest portray a dance between voyeurism and passion in Turan Aksoy’s The Passion and The Daywatch. The artist explores how our inner demons course through our bodies, and we, with our introspective gaze, ponder them. This surreal portrayal draws inspiration from Hieronymus Bosch’s garden scenes. The canvas unveils haunting visuals; the elongated heads of the figures morph into animal-like snouts, adorned with tentacles, horns, or ears, evoking imagery reminiscent of sperm.
These enigmatic beings find solace within a symbolist, verdant forest abundant with trees and pines, creating a backdrop of nature that imbues an atmosphere of and mysticism. Peeling back the layers, Aksoy’s work serves as a contemplative exploration of the quest to find home and achieve peace with our lurking inner demons. Drawing from religious and artistic narratives, he paints a vision that is simultaneously familiar and dreamy, urging viewers to confront their own visceral spectres.
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