Ramazan Bayrakoglu

Condition: This work is in very good condition. Colours: The colours in the catalogue illustration are accurate, but the greens in the backround tend more towards darker greens.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Always pushing boundaries, Ramazan Bayrakoglu is constantly experimenting with different media. In this series of works the artist challenges himself and his artistic skills to produce detailed views, landscapes and portraits in textile. Painstakingly building up these images with embroidery on coloured satin, he transfers photo-realistic portraits onto the cloth and creates a topography of needlework across its surface. Trained as a painter, Bayrakoglu developed this distinct methodology out of his early paintings, fusing elements of design, craftwork and painting.

Bayrakoglu works from three types of portrait-image, uknown actors lifted from movie stills, photographs he has taken himself, and images of strangers. He is drawn to ordinary people with ordinary lives. Where once portraiture was the domain of the privileged, a luxury of the wealthy patron, now the artist enjoys flipping the subject matter using ordinary people with powerful features.