Mehmet Can Degirmenci, born in 1992, Ankara, Turkey. Studied and lived in Istanbul, Yeditepe University, Department of Plastic Arts. Graduated in 2016. Moved to New York 2017. He is living in NYC.

Statement of my Works on Human Portrayal

In my creative process, I draw inspiration from Expressionism, Impressionism, Neo-Expressionism as well as Contemporary art. My intent has always been to use my work to raise questions and propose alternative perspectives, especially for people who have primarily existed within Anatolian and Middle Eastern cultures. I believe change is necessary for an artist’s personal growth and in 2016 after experiencing a major social and cultural shift as a result of my move to New York, I found myself better able to apply issues previously observed on a local level to a global relatable scale.


Through a mixture of landscape, portraiture, and the incorporation of culturally significant iconography, I convey my thoughts on the political space and the effects of a government’s ability to manipulate society while focusing on the individual. I examine the effects of a system that attempts to resist, oppose and assimilate individuals with contrarian ideologies. Choosing the human being as my protagonist, my work focuses on such themes as the individual’s place in society, alienation, loss of identity and social psychology. The anonymity of the portraits indicate that the struggles are that of the mankind at-large as opposed to simply personal. This is a crucial detail of what I intend to achieve.


The medium I most frequently employ is oil paint on large surfaces. Using deformation and manipulation to create a feel similar to that of negative film, I focus on the contrast between realistic characters and surreal spaces in order to simplify the relationship between the surface and the figure. Through my technique, choice of materials, color, composition and positioning, I transform the classical art form of portraiture into something new and contemporary.

2016- O'Art , Odea Bank, Istanbul
2016 - ''!?...'', Asfalt Art Gallery, Istanbul
2016 - ''Farkındalık'', Yeditepe University, Istanbul
2015 - Grammar of the Lines,Yeditepe University, Istanbul
2015 - Bazaart, Group Exhibiton, Sofa Hotel, Istanbul
2014 - Group Exhibition, Izmir Ozel Turk Koleji, Izmir
2013 - Student Triennial, Pera Museum, Istanbul