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Prelude
Prelude
Arslan Sukan
July 13, 2017
The world of fashion parades in artificial and impersonal: the individuality of the models slips into the background – it is all about the newest collections and the most unusual clothes. As they step onto the catwalk, the models are transformed. Beforehand, their appearance is of no concern, it is only when they step into the spotlight that all eyes are fixed on them. In his Prelude series, Turkish photographer Arslan Sukan reorders the parametres: uninterested in their clothes, he photographed the models just before their big moment in the limelight. He wants his pictures to capture their facial expressions and body language. The exhibition of his work is on display at the Leica Gallery in Istanbul up until the August 19.
Could you describe your series, Prelude, in a few words?
It was a series that I have shot backstage at fashion weeks for certain European magazines, between 2004 and 2008. I wanted to shoot in a documentary style, where I was very interested in the models’ facial and body language before stepping onto the catwalk, rather than their full outfits. It was important to capture their psychology and create shots that looked staged though they were not.
You named the series Prelude. In what sense is this work linked to music?
I wanted to use the dictionary meaning of prelude as a metaphor, indicating an action or event serving as an introduction to something more important. In this case, prelude refers to the models’ entrance to the stage, where they seem to leave their individuality behind backstage and become actors.
Is there a photo in the series that has a special meaning for you?
The shots of fashion designer Alexander McQueen are very special to me – he committed suicide two years after I had completed Prelude. I was happy to have had the chance to meet him briefly.
What are your next projects?
I’m working on several projects simultaneously, some of them involving photography work, while others deal more with conceptual drawings.
The Prelude exhibition with pictures by Arslan Sukan remains on display at the Leica Gallery in Istanbul up until August 19, 2017.
Could you describe your series, Prelude, in a few words?
It was a series that I have shot backstage at fashion weeks for certain European magazines, between 2004 and 2008. I wanted to shoot in a documentary style, where I was very interested in the models’ facial and body language before stepping onto the catwalk, rather than their full outfits. It was important to capture their psychology and create shots that looked staged though they were not.
You named the series Prelude. In what sense is this work linked to music?
I wanted to use the dictionary meaning of prelude as a metaphor, indicating an action or event serving as an introduction to something more important. In this case, prelude refers to the models’ entrance to the stage, where they seem to leave their individuality behind backstage and become actors.
Is there a photo in the series that has a special meaning for you?
The shots of fashion designer Alexander McQueen are very special to me – he committed suicide two years after I had completed Prelude. I was happy to have had the chance to meet him briefly.
What are your next projects?
I’m working on several projects simultaneously, some of them involving photography work, while others deal more with conceptual drawings.
The Prelude exhibition with pictures by Arslan Sukan remains on display at the Leica Gallery in Istanbul up until August 19, 2017.
ALL IMAGES ON THIS PAGE: © Arslan Sukan
Arslan Sukan+-
Arslan Sukan was born in Ankara in 1973. His worked has been exhibited worldwide at, among others, the Maxxi Museum in Rome, the Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art in Istanbul and the Haus Konstruktiv in Zurich. He was also represented at Art Basel 2011 and at Art Hongkong 2012 and 2013. Sukan lives and works in New York and Istanbul. More
