We all enjoy a good mystery, don’t we? Well, if today’s featured artist, Timur Tsaku, were a writer he would probably write mysteries. . . instead, as a painter, he puts a feeling of mystery into his artwork.
When I first saw Timur’s work, I was intrigued. I couldn’t quite figure out if they were photographs or collages. Interestingly, they are neither—his images are actually acrylic paintings.
Timur Tsaku was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and graduated from both the Tashkent Art School and the prestigious P. P. Benkov Art Institute. It’s easy to see how his background in theatrical scenic design (as well as his singular attention to detail) combine to influence his gorgeous paintings.
Timur typically starts an image with a “moody, abstracted landscape” on which he eventually paints striking, super-realistic figures. He uses a triple zero paintbrush and a magnifying glass “to achieve a hyper-realistic, almost photographic representation of people and animals.”
Timur’s work is ultra modern, often using a strong black and white composition, then finished off with touches of gold paint.
According to Timur, his subjects are based on figures found in the Old Testament. Many are animals that represent “spiritual creatures that have manifested themselves in the shapes of dogs, cats and other approachable beasts.” These figures are the life of Timur’s paintings—and whether human or beast, they are always wrapped with exquisite texture and extreme contrast.
Interestingly, in the image below, both the dog and woman are treated as equals in stature and in the extreme detail of their clothing.
Timur’s ornate textile patterns and head wear are absolutely stunning, and his simple, contrasty backgrounds give them and his subjects an unobtrusively powerful backdrop.
His high contrast approach also accentuates beautiful compositions—from very formal (as seen in the image above) to a captivatingly casual like the one below.
Perhaps what I love most about Timur’s work is that no matter how detailed the clothing, how sharp the sky, or how intriguing the composition, it’s the figures’ faces that remain the focal point. . . they always draw you in.
I highly encourage you to visit his website at www.tsaku.com to see more of his beautiful, mysterious paintings.