CİHAN BACAK

Cihan Bacak (1986) studied Italian Language and Literature at Ankara University. Pursuing a photography career since 2017. Inspired by performers, body builders, fashion, pop music and culture. Works featured at Forbes (US), Cap74024 (İtalya), Crush Fanzine (France), Fucking Young! (Spain), Kaltblut! (Germany). Founded digital agency Iconic Storage in 2022. Created on-going A.I. project Muscular Theology in 2023. The project is named aftermale-only Christian movement where men were showing off their appreciation to God by taking care of their bodies with sports and keep being fit. The series is taking inspiration from gym culture and gym bros the artist meets in his routine gym schedule. Currently producing photography, video and A.I. content for fashion and art brands.

“I have been taking photographs since 2017, and contemporary dance, movement, fashion, and the realistic use of these elements in photography have been areas that I have been obsessively and passionately working on. With AI, I combined this experience with masculinity and the body. AI allows me to realise ideas that would be harder to get in photography on my own. With Midjourney I can get the pictures in my head with 100% creative freedom without depending on external factors and production. Muscular Theology is a fantasy universe for me, evolving and developing. With every update to Midjourney (the artificial intelligence platform I use), I feel myself resfreshed as well. It feels so intimate to get those visuals in the middle of the night, listening to my favorite song that inspires me at the time and having this great luxury of a total focus and oing it over and over again till I get what I need.”

2021 Karşı Sanat Çalışmaları, İstanbul’da Şifa Bulmak, with İsmet

Köroğlu, Collaborative Exhibition, Istanbul, Türkiye

2022 K-Gold Temporary Gallery, Collaborative Exhibition, Lesvos, Greece Koli Art Space, Birbirimizin Huzurunda, with İsmet Köroğlu, Collaborative Exhibition, Istanbul, Türkiye

2023 Mamut Limited, Bomontiada, Collaborative Exhibition, Istanbul, Türkiye 212 Photography Istanbul, Müze Gazhane, Collaborative Exhibition, Istanbul, Türkiye Contemporary Istanbul, Art Fair, İstanbul, Türkiye

2024 Pilevneli Dolapdere, Ping Pong, Collaborative Exhibition, Istanbul, Türkiye