Sultan, unable to sleep

The Forever Sultan himself, after whom the series is named, is depicted in his bedroom chambers, late at night, unable to sleep. Presenting a corrupt leader, with all the prerequisite insecurities, including going to bed with a crown (or kavuk, as it is called in Turkish) for without it he would be naked, and the late night cigarettes, a leftover habit intended for lungs that no longer exist.

An intimate portrait of a man with tremendous power. A man governed by nightmares, fear, and paranoia.

Growing up in Istanbul, where I often found myself bombarded with a reinvented, politically convenient version of Ottoman Empire's history, I decided to reimagine the past century as well.

I created a story where, after losing World War 1, the Sultan sells his soul in exchange for an immortal army. These images tell the stories of what came after.

Sultan, unable to sleep, 2021 Dimensions: 3000x3000 pixels Unique Edition with Artist's Proof Series: Curse of the Forever Sultan