Dr. Karadeniz: “Avoiding perspective was a natural reflection of the dominant culture”

Samsun University Centre of Art and Thought hosted Dr. Mustafa Uğur Karadeniz, moderated by Dr.Mehmet Talha Paşaoğlu within the scope of “Öteki Buluşmalar” 2021 Fall. With his speech titled “The Woodcutter in the Forest or the Undermining of the Perspective” on the online program, Karadeniz brought to the attention of the audience his evaluations on Şeker Ahmet Pasha’s painting The Woodcutter in the Forest and the perspective and reverse-perspective issues in Islamic arts.

Starting his speech by saying that his nickname Şeker is about the way Şeker Ahmet Pasha understands life, Dr. Mustafa Uğur Karadeniz said, “We do not know the date of creation of the painting “The Woodcutter in the Forest” that we are talking about today. A 19th-century work. Landscape painting, which emerged as a result of the development of the history of painting in the West, marks the beginning of our painting history. Both Osman Hamdi Bey, Şeker Ahmet Pasha, and Süleyman Seyyid gravitate towards landscape painting. But this particular picture of Ahmet Pasha is out of line. There are a few points that Berger particularly emphasizes. Today, I will talk about them a little bit, and in fact, I will try to explain our lack of perspective in classical arts or the concept of reverse perspective as defined by Florenski.

“The lack of perspective is not an artistic tradition, but a top view that reflects the Ottoman mentality”

We cannot consider the lack of perspective only as an artistic tradition, based on the drawings to made judicial, political events and protocol rules and document the occurrence and consequences of fire and rebellion in the 19th century in Ottoman. We should consider it as the work of the perspective reflecting the Ottoman mentality world itself. The harmonious unity of being is not a truth that a single eye presented by perspective can reach from a fixed point. While the perspective gives the impression that reality consists only of the visible, it thinks that there is no reality other than the visible. With the opposite perspective, the subject will have the opportunity to look not according to where it stands, but according to the value, it believes. To understand the Islamic thought and art of the classical period, it is necessary to go beyond the time divided by the clock and the space fixed with perspective.

“Painting is also based on the depiction of the story through painting in Ottoman”

Continuing his words by saying “Actually, the understanding of painting that we can call wall painting, that is, independent of any text, starts with Levni in the Tulip Period, but not before.”, Karadeniz said “The phenomenon of painting in our country is mostly based on the depiction of the story told in the text through painting. Therefore, we cannot talk about an independent genre, even for visual art in the classical period. A completely different form of depiction prevails for other types of art. Therefore, a 19th-century mural painting for the Ottoman Period became independent as a painting culture. Perhaps the only painting that Şeker Ahmet Pasha emphasizes on a figure is his portrait. Whether it is still life paintings other than his portraits or landscape paintings, they are not considered very figurative. So when we look here, we see figures, but I will try to explain that this figure differs from an ordinary landscape painting. First of all, Şeker Ahmet Pasha receives military training; this is important. So if we are talking about military training, we have to admit that technical knowledge is also extremely important. He is taking both anatomy lessons and perspective training, which we call the ‘menazır’. This is what surprises John Berger the most. How could a man, who had received an extremely modern painting education in Paris, turned his back on all this education and turned to a completely different art track. This may surprise Berger, but when we look at classical period arts, it is not at all surprising.”

“Şeker Ahmet Pasha has not turned to an experimental genre”

Stating that avoiding perspective is a natural reflection of the dominant culture, Karadeniz said “It had nothing to do with ignorance or not knowing geometry. Again, the figures in all of the paintings, except for the almost self-portrait of Şeker Ahmet Pasha, were always drawn little helpless in the face of nature. This is also an important approach. The painting approach of Şeker Ahmet Pasha and this experience of Şeker Ahmet Pasha should not be evaluated as an experimental art effort. It should be seen as a natural extension of the tradition that preceded it. So here, Şeker Ahmet Pasha has not turned to an experimental genre with enthusiasm or nostalgia. He is to express the tradition he inherited himself through visual art. For example, Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu, who is a painter and poet, emphasizes Şeker Ahmet Paşa’s western education while evaluating him. But he points out that he is also deeply devoted to the east and says that there is incredible integrity in his paintings. 

Sezer Tansuğ, who has made very good reading on the miniature “Şenlikname Düzeni”, evaluates Şeker Ahmet Pasha and mentions the world-class style contribution he made to the landscape theme.”

The talk titled “The Woodcutter in the Forest or the Undermining of the Perspective” ended with the active participation, questions, and contributions of the audience.