Lot 90: OMER ULUC

OMER ULUC 1931-2010 UNTITLED (FROM THE TANKER SERIES) signed, dated 1984 and inscribed Paris 67.5 by 97cm.; 26 1/2 by 38 1/8 in.

Private Collection, Ankara
Acquired directly from the above by the previous owner
Private Collection, Istanbul (acquired directly from the above in 2008)

The tanker is a quintessential symbol of Istanbul, the gateway to the Russian interior and the Baltic states, the mouth of the Bosphorus is teeming with heavy ships awaiting permission to travel up past the Golden Horn. Omer Uluc was inspired by these monolithic structures, silently floating on the dark waters and framed in profile against the sky; their metal forms like great predators, covered in winches and cranes.

He favoured the rare few that came painted in bright colours, ultramarine, shocking pink and sunflower yellow. In this painting, Uluc represented his favourite type of tanker, its bright yellow coat of paint in stark contrast to the dark sea and burning sky. The yellow transforms the ship from a menacing form to something less macabre, a splash of positivity on the dark water.

The tanker is one of Uluc's most iconic images, and Untitled is a rare example of this motif painted yellow - providing a glimpse into both his personal philosophy and artistic spirit.