Untitled Portrait 1998

This oil on canvas portrait by Nuri Iyem draws you in with its direct gaze. The colours are muted, almost like a faded photograph, except for the eyes, which have this unreal, golden glow, pulling you right in. It’s like the painting is as much about feeling as it is about seeing. Up close, you notice the texture of the paint, not too thick, but you can see the strokes, see where Iyem built up the colours on the face. The way the light hits the surface gives it a kind of gentle, worn feel, like a well-loved object. Look at the way the black hair frames the face, these big simple shapes that contrast with the more detailed rendering of the face. There's something vulnerable and powerful about the directness. Iyem’s simple style reminds me of Modigliani, where the simplified forms allow for this intense gaze and stillness to come forward. It's a reminder that art doesn't always have to shout; sometimes, it whispers the loudest.