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Immortal
Enigma: It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Yıldırım's sculptures made using copper, wood or bone, each reflect a certain character based on the material he uses. The pointed/angled figures, the texture works seen in his copper sculptures; mostly created with the welding of cut plaques or wires, put forth power and determination. The wooden sculptures on the other hand reveal softer contours. Wood repels fire. Whatever the artist is to unearth from the perpetual figure hidden within, using small tools he has to get acquainted, personal to the piece of wood. The artist is inclined to use wood as a material for his human and animal figures, the completely self created lanterns and small sculptures that so much give the feeling of timeless admiration. Yıldırım's sculptures of bone are fundamentally based on the concept of imitation or association from available pieces with the aim to create a new whole. Naturally there are several exceptions. The thick, hefty and powerful figures have already declared their immortality. To an extent it’s possible to thematically categorise Akın Yıldırım's sculptures. Animal figures, human figures, musical instruments and compositions. In the first instance the interesting aspect of the animal figures are anatomy and movement. The shape/depiction of the legs of a bird just about to fly, the drooping ears and the position of the rear leg getting ready for the next step of a dog despondently walking the streets are flawless. One could say that this is the anatomy of movement in sculpture. The animal figures, the facial expressions also mesmerise onlookers. Faces that reveal worry, anxiety, fear, rogueness, power and viciousness. They portray sorrow and confrontation of time. The horse constitutes an important subject within animal figures. It intertwines with history, mythology, longing for nature and beauty. And then there are the birds. Birds made of bone, copper, and wood. Most seem as though they are too hefty to fly and most of them don’t even have wings. As with Yıldırım's human figures, the concept of deformation can be seen in these works too. Missing wings, half bird – half human creatures, figures of women with a mechanic leg or a single breast, all takes us to the grotesque. Hence allowing the observer to explore political references. The damage given to the natural become solid in sculptures created with images of sexuality, incompleteness, pain and insufficiency. The claws are always made of copper and they firmly grip the ground. One could also think that the sharp beaks, the unusual bodily extensions made of bone embody a certain degree of rage. Women with virtually non-existent heads, large breasts and hips are nevertheless strong and dignified. The right material in creating these figures seems to be copper. Interesting to see is the fact that these women figures are sometimes together with musical instruments, created in a way that one conceives, one ensures the existence of the other. Both conceiving, music and women are magicians and even magical. One of the most recent sculptures of the artist is “İnsanın Yolu/Human Path”. The piece created from deer horn and copper on its own demands special attention. Initially onlookers are overwhelmed at the thought of which living creature or mythological, epic hero would wear such a thing. In other words the sculpture allows people to complete the object with the illusion of a body. Here the horns, remains of an animal that died or was killed might take centuries to disintegrate turns immortal as an enigma. It also reminds how the artist defines life: “Life is transformation. Life is pleasure. Life is purpose. Life is a necessity. A war. Death. Birth. It is everything. Nothing. Life is…”
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Nilay Özer |