Istanbulites invites the viewer to reconsider the ways in which residents of the city interact with each other and the urban environment by presenting everyday human scenes as painted by Venezuelan artist Jesús Briceño Reyes during his stay in Istanbul.

Briceño Reyes employs paper as a delicate medium to document the vulnerabilities of Istanbul residents. He utilizes a black and white palette to better accentuate contrasts. Drawing people with profound emotional insight, he captures the authentic individuality of his subjects.

In these works, the experience of waiting in public across highly diverse peoples is explored in outdoor scenes, while indoor scenes draw attention to the unique passengers one might encounter on Istanbul’s public transportation.

Briceño Reyes, despite hailing from a city on the other side of the world, clearly felt at home in Istanbul, producing works that reveal his immediate connection with Istanbul’s culture. Engaging thoughtfully with his work, the viewer may be inspired to think deeply about the human condition, diverse cultures, and the experiences that connect us all, no matter where we come from…

Jesús Briceño Reyes (b. 1986, Caracas, Venezuela) completed his undergraduate studies at the National Art University of Caracas, his Master’s at Goldsmiths, University of London, and his Master of Fine Arts at the University of the Arts London. The artist’s works have been exhibited in prestigious institutions in Venezuela, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Briceño Reyes, currently based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is also the founder of a civil society organization that revitalizes public spaces through art.