Barış Can Solak, b. 1992, based in Istanbul.

Baris Can Solak is an artist known for his paintings that merge vibrant energy and bold visuals. As an artist who perpetually seeks to expand his imaginative universe, Solak transforms organic assemblages into vibrant, tumultuous backdrops and intricately textured spaces. 

In his paintings, biomorphic figures spring to life against chaotic, psychedelic facades and energetic color fields that mirror the visual topography of human psyche. He delves into the fluidity of memories, exploring their transformation and regression as they intertwine with diverse narratives. His dynamic mark-making techniques, infused with a sense of haphazardness, evoke a raw and uninhibited emotional response inviting audience to embrace their own introspection.

The artist’s distinctive expressive style clasps exaggeration and maximalism, adding a playful quality to his compositions that capture raw affective flashing images, expressive gestures, and psychological depth. His visual language carries influences from coBra, Neo-Expressionism, and Die Brücke movements.

Baris Can Solak's artistic practice is enriched by his educational background in social sciences. He studied political science which transforms his sense of dominance over compositional elements that hierarchy and authority dynamically established in his visual narrative. Besides, his masters on organizational psychology reflects his interest in interpersonal relationships that influences his surrogates’ relation with fellow characters and the context itself. The use of color symbolism interacted with spatial arrangements depicts Solak’s artistic exploration on each compositions. This power relations penetrates his creations with a sui generis vortex, inviting viewers to engage intellectually, emotionally, and mentally. Solak invokes the power of art to concoct liminal spaces within human psyche; a conversation between the gaze and the upside-down world created by the artist.