“I can do it as well!”
It
has become a habit for me; I first of all look at paintings with the question
of “Can I also do that?” These words, in a way, have reality
in them as some works in art which can easily be done by everybody are
sometimes being tried to be promoted as “wonders of art”. This
is the story when the case is commercial. Frankly speaking, I cannot do
the ones Renan paints.
Renan is not among the people who are used to tell “I have been painting
since I was 5 years old..” He can be accepted as a new painter. While
defining as “new”, it should be pointed out that he has left
15 years in painting behind. He is a voyager as well. Starting from Ankara,
passing through France and reaching New York & Miami where he seems
to stop for the moment, he seems to go on his journeys. Renan Kaleli has
also started a journey in painting which has become his way of life. His
passion on painting has started in Prof. Bressler’s workshop in New
York which appeared by graphic patterns first, then, his graphic designs
were turned into bigger forms with the use of different tools. While this
journey was continuing on different kind of papers with collage, indian
ink and water-colors, we began to see tree and man in his paintings. Later
on, Renan has reached the phase of abstract views, man & animal figures
with acyrlic and oil paint on canvas. I have seen his paintings first
in his 4th personal exhibition in Siyah-Beyaz Art Gallery 4 years ago.
Now, at his 5th personal exhibition and at the point he arrived, we are
witnessing his going on journey in his paintings. They are all acrylic
on canvas if I call them abstract-figurative works, does it sound too
complicated? Flying people figures in abstract environments have placed
themselves mostly in blues&reds, sometimes in turquoise&blacks
sometimes love, sometimes rejection, sometimes rebellion, mostly indiference
have silently found their ways in his paintings without spoiling the whole.
I found it interesting to hide the details indeed. Darkness in the old
dated paintings and brightness in the recent dated ones are the domain
factors of the works in the exhibition. Due to this fact, I thought that
Renan did not come to Turkey lately. The paintings after his visit to
Cuba are the concrete proofs of this as well.
If
you are asking “Yes but, what are you saying briefly” to me.
Renan’s journey will still go on... However, this will be a journey
without a long way and sharp curves... It is not possible to know if “not
caring the world” impression in his paintings is because of his personality,
but it is positive for me to realize that he is glad about himself while
not being glad about the world these are all according to me...
...but what about Renan?
“My reflection of a totally fictional world in my paintings forces
imagination powers of people. Although this process causes different perceptions
on people, this cannot prevent the same meanings of colors. In this caos,
it might seem to be funny to have only people flying in front of the horizon
line, however, this is a going-coming between reality and unreality. Although
not being the same as nature, colors and lights have a logigal unity.
”So?..” I insisted.
“Imagination power kills all borders. This is just freedom it self
indeed! Painting makes me free as it carries me to spiritual journeys
from the environment I am in. The photographs I take in the atmospheres
I go, are nothing else than my paintings in fact! Renan Kaleli, as told
before, is a “Voyager”. The journey is really going on. The
last destination was Cuba. “What about Cuba?” I ask.
“It is a totally isolated island from the world and the people living
there are beatiful both by inner and outer sides. I do not know whether
they are very happy or not, but it is for sure that they are happier than
us. Even trying to express the music they produce and fantastic environment
gives me great pleasure. While trying to express that, I have discovered
how impatient I behaved. This is just an impatience special for Cuba.
This is why red sky, white horizon line and blue sea which seemed to be
sufficient to express Cuba at the beginning are left to be insufficient
now...”
