Melih Çebi
About
Melih Çebi is a painter and mixed media artist based in Istanbul, Turkey. Born in 1990, he is the youngest of two brothers. From a young age, he found solace in creating art as a means of self-expression, drawing inspiration from sources such as television, science fiction movies, video games, cartoons, illustrated books, and toys.
As he grew older, Melih began using art to reflect on his self-diagnosed "Peter Pan Syndrome," which he identifies as a reluctance to embrace adult responsibilities. He draws on the influences of the Lowbrow and Pop Surrealism art movements to create works that center on humanity and political narratives, with a focus on greed and violence rooted in consumerist culture. His works are characterized by dark humor and sarcasm, which he sees as powerful tools for bridging the boundaries between high and low art.
Melih's works explore the darker side of the subconscious, playing on the irony of the human condition. He transforms his own buried dreams and childhood memories into disturbing universal archetypes of adolescence, often featuring characters with blank stares and perpetual smiles. By embracing the innocence of childhood in a theatrical "pop" tone, he creates works that are both recognizable and unsettling.
