Épis de blé (2011) Photography by Hakan Portakal

Hakan Portakal is a multidisciplinary artist (painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, literature and cinema).

In the 1980s, he dropped out of school and started working in a jewelry workshop. The artist considers this period as the beginning of his artistic approach. At the same time, he became familiar with comics, particularly Italian comics.

Although the artist began visual arts with illustration, he quickly turned to abstraction. Depending on the artist, an artist can be sophisticated without being overly complex.

He usually doesn't have very specific creative topics. Consequently, his themes and, above all, his works are often varied and diverse. This does not mean that the artist has no theme. Some examples: totems, masks, prehistoric art and/or tribal art. Abstract art plays a very important role in his work.

This freedom, nourished by self-teaching, allows the artist to approach different artistic disciplines. He prefers to work on his subjects without limiting himself to a specific style other than art brut. For the artist, art brut is not a style of art in itself, on the contrary, it is the foundation of all arts.

Hakan Portakal was born in Istanbul in 1968. Coming from a modest family, the artist spent part of his youth in the left movement. The artist has lived in Belgium since 2003.

He has directed two short documentary films.

• Nationality: BELGIUM
• Date of birth : 1968
• Artistic domains:
• Groups: Contemporary Belgian Artists