ছায়াশব্দ
ShadowWord
Painting by Sami
Baydar
Oil on canvas
We first learned about the poetry of Sami Baydar from Turkish-American
poet-essayist Murat Nemet-Nejat somewhere around 2013. Nearly a decade later we
became aware of his art. It came as a surprise to learn Baydar was trained in
the arts and began as a painter. Whether his canvases echo the same mysticity
and abstraction with which his poetry is amorphously layered, experts who know
both of arts equally, will tell.
Baydar was educated at the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts in
the 1980s.
There appears to be a fascination with space and a fluid interplay
between structure and spontaneity in his art work, coupled with his interest in
the quotidian. An urge to capture the ephemeral within everyday scenes are
rendered with quiet intensity. Baydar’s work often uses simple motifs (such as
the gentle depiction of nature) unfolding into a complex narrative of emotions.
He tends to use vibrant yet melancholy colors, and subtle textures to evoke a
sense of mystery and introspection.
Heartfelt thanks to Efe Murad who made a photocopy of this painting,
we use as cover-art, available.
Copyright © 2025 Sami Baydar
Published 30th June, 2025
