All artworks by Taner Ceylan
Recognition
The Artist was highlighted in an article in ArtMajeur Magazine
Biography
Taner Ceylan (born 1967) is a contemporary Turkish artist renowned for his hyperrealistic paintings that explore themes of identity, sexuality, desire, and cultural history. Born in Germany, Ceylan later moved to Turkey, where he pursued his education at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul, graduating from the Painting Department. His art career began in the 1990s, a period when Turkey’s contemporary art scene was expanding, yet still largely conservative. Ceylan quickly distinguished himself with his bold, provocative approach to themes often considered taboo in Turkish society.
Ceylan’s breakthrough came in 1994 with his solo exhibition "Monte Carlo", which directly confronted issues of homosexuality, identity, and desire. The exhibition was groundbreaking, marking one of the first times such subjects were openly explored in Turkey’s contemporary art scene. Through unapologetic portrayals of the male body, desire, and queer identity, Ceylan established himself as a fearless voice willing to confront societal norms and challenge the status quo.
His artistic style is defined by an extraordinary mastery of hyperrealism, executed with meticulous attention to detail. Ceylan’s paintings often blur the line between reality and fiction, capturing highly emotional, sometimes unsettling moments with a cinematic quality. His works are known for their emotional intensity — filled with vulnerability, desire, pain, and tenderness — rendered with technical precision that evokes the works of Old Masters while addressing thoroughly modern subjects.
One of his most celebrated projects is the "Lost Paintings" series, where Ceylan reinterprets historical and orientalist imagery through a contemporary and often queer perspective. By revisiting scenes from Ottoman and European history, he not only challenges the traditional depictions of history but also inserts marginalized identities into narratives from which they’ve historically been erased. This fusion of historical revisionism and personal storytelling is a hallmark of Ceylan’s mature work.
Over the course of his career, Ceylan’s work has been exhibited internationally in leading galleries and institutions across Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. His paintings have been shown at the Paul Kasmin Gallery in New York, Arter in Istanbul, and numerous prestigious venues in Berlin, London, and beyond. His art is included in major private and institutional collections, solidifying his reputation as one of Turkey’s most influential contemporary artists.
Throughout his practice, Taner Ceylan has consistently returned to questions of identity, desire, and the fluidity of cultural and personal history. By combining provocative subject matter with extraordinary technical skill, he continues to expand conversations around sexuality, cultural heritage, and the power of visual storytelling in contemporary art. His work stands at the intersection of beauty and discomfort, seduction and critique, leaving a lasting impact on viewers and the contemporary art world alike.
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Nationality:
GERMANY
- Date of birth : 1967
- Artistic domains: No artwork available yet
- Groups: Contemporary German Artists Artists presented by a gallery