‘US’
Our faces are the most intricate and instinctive storytellers of human emotion. Every expression—whether fleeting or deliberate—reveals a tension between what we feel and what we allow the world to see. This series explores that fragile boundary: the raw, involuntary nature of emotion and the way we shape it through social constructs, personal history, and subconscious control.
Facial expressions transcend language; they are deeply rooted in our biology yet endlessly shaped by experience. Even the most subtle shift—a glance, a tightened jaw, a hesitation in a smile—carries meaning. In this series, I wanted to observe how emotions unfold, whether they emerge freely or remain filtered through learned behaviors. I was also interested in how color influences our perception of these emotions, reinforcing or distorting what we believe we see.
Paintings of children
The influence of parents, society, and ideologies on children is a subject that fascinates me endlessly. Childhood is a time when external forces shape a child’s worldview, yet they lack the internal ethical framework to question or resist these influences. In this regard, children are pure, unfiltered reflections of authority. In my work, I seek to capture the profound purity, vulnerability, fear, honesty, and at times, the cruelty that can manifest on a child’s face. These raw expressions offer an unguarded glimpse into their emotional world. I often depict children in groups, as I believe this collective presence more deeply communicates the complexity of their emotions, allowing for a more sincere and intimate connection to their inner experiences.
‘A SAD CLOWN SMOKING A CIGARETTE’
This series explores the paradox of masks—do they hide our true emotions, or do they reveal them more intensely?
Inspired by a fleeting glimpse of Bruce Davidson’s Circus (1958), I invited close friends and family members to participate, individuals whose inner lives I deeply understood. Each model wore simple white face paint, a symbolic break from their everyday identities. The process became an experiment in shedding learned behaviors—could they stop performing, stop posing? Some embraced the freedom, revealing something raw and unfiltered, while others instinctively adopted fictional personas. This series marked a shift in my approach, pushing beyond realism to explore how fragmented forms and abstract strokes can carry emotional depth.
Characters
My paintings often explore the fluid nature of identity and perception. Inspired by films, literature, performances, and travel, these works serve as a space for experimentation—unbound by theme or structure. Through layering, composition, and material exploration, I seek to capture fleeting states of mind and shifts in my artistic language. Each piece becomes a reflection of how I perceive both the world and myself in that moment.
Persona Portraits
My persona portraits delve into the tension between the self and the roles we assume. Influenced by Jungian psychology, they depict constructed identities—adaptive masks that both protect and obscure. Painting these figures allows me to examine the ways I navigate my environment, revealing subconscious emotions and unspoken narratives. Some works naturally take the form of self-portraits, not by intention, but as an inevitable confrontation with the self.
Studies
