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ArtPhotographyInterview

by Alexandra Mansilla

‘I Should Proudly Reflect My Roots’. The Story Of Ces, a Visual Wizard

16 May 2025

Meet Ces, a visual artist from Istanbul whose work you have definitely seen online. He captures the authenticity of his home country
and blends it with modern elements — from sports logos in unexpected places to cars dropped into everyday scenes. He shows the streets
of Istanbul just as they are, then adds a surreal twist: Nike logos
on camels, Mercedes emblems on rugs, designer clothes on people clearly more used to traditional wear.
Ces has been working in photography and design for years, but his art has only recently gone viral. So why now? And what is his story?
Let’s find out.
— Hi Ces! So, first things first: I read that you started your artistic journey around the age of 17. Could you tell me a bit more about how it all began?
— Actually, it goes back to when I was 15 or 16 — maybe even earlier, like in primary school. I was always into visual stuff. When I got a new toy, I wasn’t just playing with it — I was looking at the packaging, the fonts, the story behind it. My mind would go: “Okay, here’s the toy, here’s the car — but how did someone come up with this packaging, this whole narrative?” I was just curious about how it all connects.
In secondary school, I got into graffiti. And to me, this wasn’t just a hobby — it felt like something natural, like part of who I am. I couldn’t stop thinking in visuals.
I was taking photos with friends, playing around with graphic design — not professionally, just for fun. But then school ended, and my parents asked, “What are you going to do at university?” I thought about studying economics or something like that, but in the end I said, “No, I’m going to study graphic design.” And I did it!
I started working at agencies in Istanbul, but I felt I couldn’t truly express myself there. Everything I suggested was either “too much,” “off-structure,” or just not the way things were done. But I kept thinking — pushing those boundaries is the future.
After about two years in agencies, I quit. I started asking myself, “What do I really want to do with my life?” I worked random jobs for a while, but eventually, I bought a camera and a computer. That was it. That had always been the dream — to be a visual artist.
And for the next two or three years, I just kept creating. Every single day, new ideas, new projects, new concepts. Eventually, I became a bit of a well-known local artist.
Then things started to grow. I worked with a few Turkish brands, and after that came Nike, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and some other labels too. So yeah — it has been about 10 years now. Feels wild when I look back on it.
— Do you have anyone in your family who is involved in visual arts or anything creative?
— My mum is an archaeologist, and my dad manufactures plastic credit cards.
Actually, my family isn’t exactly a typical Turkish family. My dad is from Turkey but studied in the US, and my mum studied in France. So while they are definitely Turkish, there is also a strong European influence — it is kind of a 50/50 mix of both cultures.
— In your interview with Athleta Mag, you said, “I found myself constantly wanting to photograph the Mercedes-Benz star.” What made that symbol so special to you, and is it still special?
— When I was around 23 or 24, I was going through a really tough time financially. I wasn’t getting paid properly for my work, just trying to survive.
I have got a friend, Yusuf — a super cool guy, covered in tattoos. One day, I was like, let’s head out and shoot some photos, just for Instagram. Nothing serious, not work — just for fun.
While we were out, I saw this old Mercedes parked on the street and I said, “Yusuf, stand in front of it and put your hands on the star — the Mercedes-Benz emblem. I need to take this shot, it’s going to be crazy.”
So I took the photo, posted it, and about a week later, Mercedes-Benz global emailed me. They said, “Your photo is amazing — let’s work together.” It turned out there was a Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week happening in Istanbul, and they invited me to collaborate.
Honestly, it changed my life. I ended up working with them for about two years.
After that, I got a tattoo to mark it. Because for me, it is more than just a car brand. Mercedes-Benz literally saved my life.
— Wow, that is great! You are inspired by cars, by fashion, and also by sport. You played football professionally, right?
— Yeah, actually — I am two metres tall. Back in high school, I used to play basketball really well. But after I started studying and got into university, I quit basketball. While I was at university, I also played rugby for a bit.
And of course, you know — in Turkey, football is huge. Everyone loves it. If you are born here, you are 100% influenced by football, one way or another.
So, growing up, there was always football and sports happening around me. And being Turkish, it is just part of who you are — it naturally has an influence on you.
— You also said that what truly shaped your creative outlook was seeing how people in Europe and the US blended their cultural backgrounds into their work. Can you tell me more about that?
— Turkish people are culturally in the middle, between East and West. Many want to be seen as Western and distance themselves from the East or the Middle East. Especially in Istanbul, people often try to adopt a Western identity.
But I don’t agree with that. I live in Turkey, surrounded by Arabic, Kurdish, and other cultures — it is part of everyday life here. There is so much richness in that.
Sometimes when I create something, people say, “Oh, that looks too oriental or too Arabic.” But why is that a problem? Western artists express their culture freely — why shouldn’t I?
My view is: I should proudly reflect my roots. I live here, and I am shaped by this culture. So I want to show it to the world, honestly and clearly, through my work.
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Ces

— You are clearly showing Turkish authenticity through your work. For many people outside Istanbul, the city is often associated with mosques, narrow streets, crowds, cats, carpets, old markets, and so on. But as someone local, what does authentic Istanbul mean to you?
— As a local, I can say that Istanbul has this really powerful energy. The people are incredibly warm. That is where I get a lot of my energy from, actually. There is something in the way people live, move, and interact.
And visually, the city is full of texture — every street is different. You might walk down one road and it is all trendy and cool, then turn a corner and you are in a completely local, traditional Turkish street. That contrast gives me a lot of inspiration.
So I take that energy and those visuals, and I try to express myself — and my connection to these people — to the rest of the world.
— Is there a street in Istanbul you love to walk through when you are low on ideas and really need inspiration?
— There are so many streets with their own atmosphere. For example, Çukurcuma, Karaköy, Sultanahmet, the old Grand Bazaar, and even areas just outside the centre, like Bakırköy or Beşiktaş. Every place has a different texture.
Like, if you go to the Grand Bazaar, it is full of older people selling things — sometimes fake designer stuff, like Gucci — and of course, carpets everywhere. Then you head to another part of the city, like Bağcılar or Küçükçekmece, and it is all about kebabs, street food, and completely different vibes.
I get inspired every single day in Istanbul. And not just because of the visuals — it is the people too. You see people from each part of the world here — it is really mixed, and I love that. I feel lucky to live here.
— I can see that you blend authenticity with modern elements, like placing a bright pink car behind an old lady, or the piece with a woman holding a carpet featuring a Nike logo. Can you tell me more about that concept? What draws you to combine traditional visuals with modern references, like sports logos, old symbols, and street culture?
— Well, actually, it all comes from my past. When I was a kid — a teenager — I always wore streetwear. Things like Nike, Reebok, adidas… for me, those weren’t just brands, they were part of my identity. They were a kind of texture — the texture of who I am.
These brands are more than just logos or products — they represent a lifestyle. They have become part of me, part of my visual language. And I reflect that in my work too. I mix these references with elements of my own culture.
I grew up around all kinds of people — old ladies, uncles, kids in the streets — and many of them were wearing Nike or adidas too. So now, when I create, I am combining all of that: the global and the local, the street and the traditional.
— Now, let’s dive into a few specific works. One I am really curious about is your collaboration with Olta Jewelry — I saw the piece and it is absolutely beautiful. Can you tell me more about that?
— Yeah, that one is really close to me. It is a brand by a good friend of mine, and we created a really special piece together — a CCTV camera turned into jewelry.
When I first started taking photos, I always found myself photographing cameras — like the real ones, the security ones. So this was kind of a shoutout to those early days of my visual journey. It is personal.
I also just find security cameras really aesthetic — the shape, the design. And symbolically, they are always watching, always observing. So it felt right to turn that into a piece of jewelry — like a little visual memory of where it all started.
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Ces x Olta Jewelry

— Next one! I am looking at the piece with the horse, the motorcycle, and the old building — and I would love to understand how it was created!
— I really love motocross. And horses, too — for me, a horse represents power. It is something strong, fast, and full of energy.
Both motocross and horses move in the same way — powerful, wild, and dynamic. It is the same logic for me. That energy, that motion — it is huge.
So I started combining those ideas — placing them in the middle of the street, where that contrast between chaos and control happens. For me, it all connects.
I take photos, and then I bring everything together using artificial intelligence, blending these elements to create something new.
— Also, what is the concept behind the photo with the punching bag — the one wrapped in wire?
— The idea is kind of like how boxers train — always hitting the bag, working on precision. In life, you also have to be sharp, strategic. There are barbed wires everywhere, metaphorically speaking. But if you hit the exact point — if your punch is precise — you won’t get hurt. If you just hit really hard without thinking, you will end up bruised.
— And I have noticed you photograph a lot of older people — I am guessing they have shared quite a few stories with you, haven’t they?
— Yeah, and they are so warm and they truly love sharing stories from their lives — it is really inspiring for me. That is why I love taking photos of older people, especially old ladies. They inspire me. When they share their stories, I start to visualise them instantly.
I remember a quote from one of them that has always stayed with me: “Without pressure, there’s no diamond.” You need that pressure — that struggle — to become something valuable. That thought really stuck with me.
— I am looking at the photo with the pink car right now, and I have to ask — who is the old lady in it?
— She is created with artificial intelligence. The place itself is real, but the car and the old lady aren’t — they are generated, not real.
— Whaaat? So I guess this is the moment where I finally got confused — what is real and what is AI. Since you are a visual artist and you have mentioned so many projects, are there any works you haven’t shared yet?
— Yeah, well, actually, I have got a lot of soft ideas, but my main goal right now, in the short term, is to create an exhibition. But not a traditional gallery-type exhibition. I want it to be more of an experience. I want people to feel something.
It is not going to be typical — more like an amusement park, in a way. I want to bring my imagination to life. Like, imagine a really old lady next to a bright pink car — but in real life, not just in images. That’s the kind of thing I want people to walk into.
I definitely want to do it in Istanbul — that is for sure. But I would also love to take it worldwide. I want to bring it to places like Dubai, Spain, Berlin, and other cities across Europe and beyond. I want to reach more people, share my experience, and show my imagination to different audiences around the world.