Conceptual Photo Art of Zeren Badar from NYC

Zeren Badar is an NYC based self-taught conceptual photographer. He’s originally from Turkey. His relationship with photography began around 2010 when he bought a DSLR for purely for hobby. For three years he kept on taking pictures on streets and switched to conceptual photography in 2013. Now he creates his own images with a lot of passion and precision. Since then he has been showing his work in the USA.

Statement, etc. : I create three-dimensional collages with found objects, food and cheaply printed old paintings. I turn per-existing works of art into Duchampian ready-mades and take photographs of them. I use strong shadows, layering, crumpling and folding effects to give a three dimensional sense in the final work.

By using unexpected juxtapositions of objects, I try to create ambiguity and pull viewers’ attention deeper to my photographs. In many ways, I try to examine a new type of still life.

My photography equipment is very minimal. I use Sony DSLR with two or three speed lights. Each speed light has a mini soft box. I play with light simply to create shadows.

Projects : I’m currently working on my solo show in NYC. Show will be titled “Messing with Old Masters”. It is very exciting but a lot of work at the same time. The photographs featured here are from multiple projects. They are based on collage esthetic. I modernized and/or disassembled found images in order to create my own artwork. They have pop art feeling at the same time paying respect to dada by rejecting art rules.

Influences and inspirations : I’m hugely influenced by dada and neo-dada. You can call this style millennium-Dada. I constantly take inspiration from various artist such as Marcel Duchamp, Kurt Schwitters, Louise Bourgeois. One of my Jasper Johns’s quotes inspired me for my entire art carrier which is “Take an object do something to it, Do something else to it!”

Zeren Badar : Website | Instagram | Tumblr | Facebook

Advertisements