Eşref Armağan: Difference between revisions

Eşref Armağan
Eşref Armağan
Born	1953 (age 70–71); Istanbul, Turkey
Nationality	Turkish
Known for	Painting

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Eşref Armağan (born 1953) is a Turkish painter born in Istanbul, Turkey.^[1] He is a very prominent painter in Turkey, mostly known for his ability to portray forms, perspective and colour in his artworks despite suffering from complete visual impairment visual impairment, a condition he was born with.

Early life

Armağan grew up legally blind in a less than fortunate household and with no formal education. One of his eyes failed to develop beyond a ‘’rudimentary bud’’, meanwhile the other was ‘’stunted and scarred’’. ^[2] Having no visual perspective of the outside world, he resorted to experiencing the world through heightening his other senses, particularly through touch. He often looked to his father, Nazim Armağan, for guidance. He started to take interest in learning about the world at the age of 6. ^[3]

Painting process

He has painted using Oil paint for roughly 35 years. Eşref Armagan first visualises his painting before even touching the canvas. After which, he often uses a braille stylus or a rope covered in a sticky substance to create the outline of his drawing.^[4] He requires complete silence before he begins painting.^[5] He then uses his fingers to apply the oil paint. After he applies one layer, he leaves it to dry before applying a new colour so that there is no smudging. The art pieces themselves are created without help from any individual. He is also able to create art that has visual perspective.

His art style is one based on challenging the limitations that affect him via his condition. In an interview with Al-Jazeera, he stated that his art is ‘‘...to prove that I can draw by touch’’ as well as claimed if he were to ‘’..specialise in abstract art, the critics would dismiss my efforts as ‘he paints things as he feels them’ ’’ rather than a skill to see past his blindness. ^[6]

Psychological subject

In 2004, he was the subject of a study of human perception, conducted by the psychologist John M. Kennedy^[7] of University of Toronto. This was to prove that, contrary to popular belief, a blind person can develop their visual prowess normally without external visual input from the outside world. In 2008 two researchers from Harvard, Amir Amedi^[8] and Alvaro Pascual-Leone, tried to find more about neuroplasticity using Armağan as a study case.^[9]

Both scientists had evidence that in cases of blindness, the "visual" cortex acts differently from how it acts with the non-blind. Pascual-Leone has found that Braille readers use this very same area for touch. Amedi, together (with Ehud Zohary) at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, found that the area is also activated in verbal memory tasks. The results they found showed that Armağan's visual cortex lit up during the drawing task, but hardly at all for verbal recall, meaning that some unused visual areas might be used in collaboration with one's needs from the brain. Moreover, in scans that were held while Armağan drew, his visual cortex signals seemed as he was seeing to the extent that a naive viewer of his scan might assume Armağan really could see. Through this study, they conlcuded that ″...the blind and the sighted use perspective projection in making and using tactile pictures, and pictures by the blind include the use of freehand parallel, one-point and two-point perspective″.^[10]

Exhibitions and media

He has displayed his work at more than 20 exhibitions in Turkey, Italy, China, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. He has appeared several times on television and in the press in Turkey and has been on programs on Al Jazeera,^[11] BBC and ZD.

Volvo ad campaign

In 2009 Armağan was invited by Volvo to paint the new model S60 as part of a social media campaign.

Prior to the release of the S60, Volvo asked him to paint his interpretation of the then unreleased model as a promotional piece. This was a key demonstration of his ability to sense form and perspective, as well as contrast between the landscape and the car.

Armagan absorbs the information by walking around the car, highlighting the key aspects of the car model such as the hood and the side. He then depicts the car on a road using a ¾ perspective. His work was documented in a series of videos posted on Volvo's Facebook page.^[12] The resulting painting of the S60 sold on eBay for US$3,050. The Canadian non-profit charity organization World Blind Union (WBU) was the benefactor of the auction.^[13]

Other works

Other more notable works include his exhibitions for organizations such as the Art Education for the Blind,^[14] a non-profit organization aimed at making art accessible to those with visual impairment.

Personal life

Armağan is married and has two children.

Notes

Sources

Official Sites— http://www.esrefarmagan.com, http://www.armagan.com/
"Senses special: The art of seeing without sight" The New Scientist 29 January 2005 https://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg18524841.700
John Kennedy's study at the University of Toronto.[1]
Слепой художник Эшреф Армаган
Blogspot [2] Esref Armagan: History, photographs, how to buy his art. Also links to science journals, articles, and videos.
Tobias Teutenberg: Bilder aus der Dunkelheit. Zum sichtbar Taktilen in der Kunst Eşref Armağans, 2013 [3]
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332933641_Locke_and_Hume's_Philosophical_Theory_of_Color_is_Investigated_through_a_Case_Study_of_Esref_Armagan_An_Artist_Born_Blind
https://www.artbeyondsight.org/sidebar/aboutaeb.shtml#aeb

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{short description|Blind painter of Turkish origin (born 1953)}}
+{{Short description|Turkish blind painter (born 1953)}}
-{{cleanup rewrite|date=July 2012}}
 {{Infobox artist
 | name          = Eşref Armağan
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 | awards        =
 }}
+'''Eşref Armağan''' (born 1953) is a Turkish [[Painting|painter]] born in Istanbul, Turkey.<ref>https://vrsga.org/blog/esref-armagan-blind-painter/#:~:text=Born%20in%201953%20in%20Istanbul,himself%20through%20color%20and%20art.</ref> He is a very prominent painter in Turkey, mostly known for his ability to portray forms, perspective and colour in his artworks despite suffering from complete visual impairment [[Visual impairment|visual impairment]], a condition he was born with.
-'''Eşref Armağan''' (born 1953) is a blind painter of Turkish origin. Born without sight to an impoverished family, he taught himself to write and print. He has painted using oil paints for roughly thirty-five years.
+==Early life==
-Using a [[braille]] stylus to etch the outline of his drawing, Armağan requires total silence to create art. [[Oil paint]] is then applied with his fingers and left to dry fully before a new color is applied. This unique method is used so that colors do not smudge. The art pieces themselves are created without help from any individual. He is also able to create art that has [[Perspective (visual)|visual perspective]].
+Armağan grew up legally blind in a less than fortunate household and with no formal education. One of his eyes failed to develop beyond a ‘’rudimentary bud’’, meanwhile the other was ‘’stunted and scarred’’. <ref>https://tacpac.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Senses-special-The-art-of-seeing-without-sight.pdf</ref> Having no visual perspective of the outside world, he resorted to experiencing the world through heightening his other senses, particularly through touch. He often looked to his father, Nazim Armağan, for guidance. He started to take interest in  learning about the world at the age of 6. <ref>https://artdesignasia.com/beyond-sight-the-incredible-artistic-journey-of-esref-armagan/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20remarkable,explore%20their%20textures%20and%20shapes.</ref>
-In 2004, he was the subject of a study of human perception, conducted by the [[psychologist]] John M.Kennendy <ref>[https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~kennedy]</ref> of [[University of Toronto]] and proved that a person who is blind from birth can develop absolutely normally without visual contact with the outside world.
-In 2008 two researchers from [[Harvard]] Amir Amedi <ref>https://scholars.huji.ac.il/jbc/people/prof-amir-amedi</ref> and Alvaro Pascual-Leone, tried to find more about neural plasticity using Armağan as a study case.<ref>[http://brain.huji.ac.il/publications/Amedi_et_al_blind-painter_BRES08.pdf Neural and behavioral correlates of drawing in an early blind painter: A case study]</ref>
-Both scientists had evidence that in cases of blindness, the "visual" [[Visual cortex|cortex]] acts differently from how it acts with the non-blind.
-Pascual-Leone has found that Braille readers use  this very same area for touch.
-Amedi, together (with Ehud Zohary) at the [[Hebrew University]] in [[Jerusalem]], found that the area is also activated in verbal memory tasks.
-When Amedi analyzed the results, however, he found that Armağan's visual cortex lit up during the drawing task, but hardly at all for verbal recall, meaning that some unused visual areas might be used in collaboration with ones needs from the brain.
-Moreover, in scans that were held while Armağan drew, his visual cortex signals seemed as he was seeing to the extent that a naive viewer of his scan might assume Armağan really could see.
+==Painting process==
-Armağan is married and has two children. He has displayed his work at more than 20 exhibitions in [[Turkey]], [[Italy]], [[China]], the [[Netherlands]] and the Czech Republic. He has appeared several times on [[television]] and in the press in Turkey and has been on programs on [[BBC]] and ZD.
+He has painted using [[Oil paint]] for roughly 35 years. Eşref Armagan first visualises his painting before even touching the canvas. After which, he often uses a [[braille]] stylus or a rope covered in a sticky substance to create the outline of his drawing.<ref>https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/esref-armagan-a-blind-turkish-painter-who-sees-through-his-fingertips-53568</ref> He requires complete silence before he begins painting.<ref>https://painterskeys.com/without-sight/</ref> He then uses his fingers to apply the oil paint. After he applies one layer, he leaves it to dry before applying a new colour so that there is no smudging. The art pieces themselves are created without help from any individual. He is also able to create art that has [[Perspective (visual)|visual perspective]].
+His art style is one based on challenging the limitations that affect him via his condition. In an interview with Al-Jazeera, he stated that his art is ‘‘...to prove that I can draw by touch’’ as well as claimed if he were to ‘’..specialise in abstract art, the critics would dismiss my efforts as ‘he paints things as he feels them’ ’’ rather than a skill to see past his blindness. <ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/program/al-jazeera-world/2022/6/15/painting-in-the-dark</ref>
-In 2009 Armağan was invited by [[Volvo]] to paint the new model S60 as part of a social media campaign. His work was documented in a series of videos posted on Volvo's [[Facebook]] page.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/Volvo?v=app_4949752878 Volvo Facebook fanpage with documentaries]</ref>  The resulting painting of the S60 sold on [[eBay]] for US$3,050. The Canadian non-profit charity organization [[World Blind Union|World Blind Union (WBU)]] was the benefactor of the auction.<ref>[http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250540341841 Ebay auction of S60 painting]</ref>
+==Psychological subject==
+In 2004, he was the subject of a study of human perception, conducted by the [[psychologist]] John M. Kennedy<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~kennedy | title=John M. Kennedy: Psychologist }}</ref> of [[University of Toronto]]. This was to prove that, contrary to popular belief, a blind person can develop their visual prowess normally without external visual input from the outside world. In 2008 two researchers from [[Harvard]], Amir Amedi<ref>{{cite web | url=https://scholars.huji.ac.il/jbc/people/prof-amir-amedi | title=Prof. Amir Amedi }}</ref> and [[Alvaro Pascual-Leone]], tried to find more about [[neuroplasticity]] using Armağan as a study case.<ref>[http://brain.huji.ac.il/publications/Amedi_et_al_blind-painter_BRES08.pdf Neural and behavioral correlates of drawing in an early blind painter: A case study]</ref>
+Both scientists had evidence that in cases of blindness, the "visual" [[Visual cortex|cortex]] acts differently from how it acts with the non-blind. Pascual-Leone has found that Braille readers use  this very same area for touch. Amedi, together (with [[Ehud Zohary]]) at the [[Hebrew University]] in [[Jerusalem]], found that the area is also activated in verbal memory tasks.  The results they found showed that Armağan's visual cortex lit up during the drawing task, but hardly at all for verbal recall, meaning that some unused visual areas might be used in collaboration with one's needs from the brain.
+Moreover, in scans that were held while Armağan drew, his [[visual cortex]] signals seemed as he was seeing to the extent that a naive viewer of his scan might assume Armağan really could see. Through this study, they conlcuded that ″...the blind and the sighted use perspective projection in making and using tactile pictures, and pictures by the blind include the use of freehand parallel, one-point and two-point perspective″.<ref>https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~kennedy/2007chapter.pdf</ref>
+==Exhibitions and media==
+He has displayed his work at more than 20 exhibitions in [[Turkey]], [[Italy]], [[China]], the [[Netherlands]] and the Czech Republic. He has appeared several times on [[television]] and in the press in Turkey and has been on programs on [[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 June 2022 |title=Painting in the Dark |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/program/al-jazeera-world/2022/6/15/painting-in-the-dark |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> [[BBC]] and ZD.
+===Volvo ad campaign===
+In 2009 Armağan was invited by [[Volvo]] to paint the new model [[Volvo S60|S60]] as part of a social media campaign.
+Prior to the release of the S60, Volvo asked him to paint his interpretation of the then unreleased model as a promotional piece. This was a key demonstration of his ability to sense form and perspective, as well as contrast between the landscape and the car.
+Armagan absorbs the information by walking around the car, highlighting the key aspects of the car model such as the hood and the side. He then depicts the car on a road using a ¾ perspective.
+His work was documented in a series of videos posted on Volvo's [[Facebook]] page.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/Volvo?v=app_4949752878 Volvo Facebook fanpage with documentaries]</ref>  The resulting painting of the S60 sold on [[eBay]] for US$3,050. The Canadian non-profit charity organization [[World Blind Union|World Blind Union (WBU)]] was the benefactor of the auction.<ref>[http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250540341841 Ebay auction of S60 painting]</ref>
+===Other works===
+Other more notable works include his exhibitions for organizations such as the Art Education for the Blind,<ref>https://www.artbeyondsight.org/sidebar/aboutaeb.shtml#aeb</ref> a non-profit organization aimed at making art accessible to those with visual impairment.
+==Personal life==
+Armağan is married and has two children.
 ==Notes==
@@ Line 40: / Line 58: @@
 ==Sources==
-* Official Sites    http://www.esrefarmagan.com,  http://www.armagan.com/
+* Official Sites— http://www.esrefarmagan.com,  http://www.armagan.com/
-* Senses special: The art of seeing without sight ''The New Scientist''  29 January 2005 https://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg18524841.700
+* "Senses special: The art of seeing without sight" ''The New Scientist''  29 January 2005 https://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg18524841.700
-* Kennedy, John's study at the [[University of Toronto]].[https://web.archive.org/web/20140114003447/http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~kennedy/2007chapter.pdf]
+* John Kennedy's study at the [[University of Toronto]].[https://web.archive.org/web/20140114003447/http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~kennedy/2007chapter.pdf]
-* Volvo commercial  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CNx3qTI8xA
 * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100926020225/http://adsence.kiev.ua/2010/09/19/slepoj-xudozhnik-esref-armagan/ Слепой художник Эшреф Армаган]
-* [http://esrefarmagan.blogspot.com/ Esref Armagan: History, photographs, how to buy his art. Also links to science journals, articles, and videos.]
+* Blogspot [http://esrefarmagan.blogspot.com/] Esref Armagan: History, photographs, how to buy his art. Also links to science journals, articles, and videos.
-* Tobias Teutenberg: Bilder aus der Dunkelheit. Zum sichtbar Taktilen in der Kunst Eşref Armağans, 2013 [http://www.lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/content.php?nav_id=4280]
+* Tobias Teutenberg: ''Bilder aus der Dunkelheit. Zum sichtbar Taktilen in der Kunst Eşref Armağans'', 2013 [http://www.lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/content.php?nav_id=4280]
+*https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332933641_Locke_and_Hume's_Philosophical_Theory_of_Color_is_Investigated_through_a_Case_Study_of_Esref_Armagan_An_Artist_Born_Blind
+*https://www.artbeyondsight.org/sidebar/aboutaeb.shtml#aeb
 == Further reading ==
-*John Kennedy's [https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/handle/1807/1021 ''Drawing and the Blind''] (New Haven: Yale UP, 1993).
+*Kennedy, John. [https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/handle/1807/1021 ''Drawing and the Blind''] (New Haven: Yale UP, 1993).
-*Burk, Rachelle. Painting in the Dark: Esref Armagan, Blind Artist. Boston: Tumblehome Learning, 2016. This illustrated print picture book will also be available in braille and audio by 2017.
+*Burk, Rachelle. ''Painting in the Dark: Esref Armagan, Blind Artist.'' Boston: Tumblehome Learning, 2016. This illustrated print picture book will also be available in braille and audio by 2017.
-* How a blind artist is challenging our understanding of colour. The Conversation (2018) [https://theconversation.com/how-a-blind-artist-is-challenging-our-understanding-of-colour-93872 ''Dr Simon Hayhoe writes about the achievements of Esref Armagan'']
+* ''How a blind artist is challenging our understanding of colour''. The Conversation (2018) [https://theconversation.com/how-a-blind-artist-is-challenging-our-understanding-of-colour-93872 Dr Simon Hayhoe writes about the achievements of Esref Armagan]
-*Website: http://esrefarmagan.blogspot.com/  (A comprehensive website with links to articles, books, videos, and photos).
+*Website [http://esrefarmagan.blogspot.com/] A comprehensive website with links to articles, books, videos, and photos.
 {{Authority control}}
@@ Line 58: / Line 78: @@
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Armagan, Esref}}
 [[Category:Blind artists]]
-[[Category:Turkish painters]]
+[[Category:20th-century Turkish painters]]
 [[Category:1953 births]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
 [[Category:Artists from Istanbul]]
-[[Category:Blind people from Turkey]]
+[[Category:Turkish blind people]]
+[[Category:21st-century Turkish painters]]
+[[Category:Turkish male painters]]
+[[Category:20th-century Turkish male artists]]
+[[Category:21st-century Turkish male artists]]

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