"The devil is in the details"
Have you heard that saying? And it really is. Especially if they're tiny. If you don't believe it, ask Hassan Kale.
He is one of the most talented artists in miniature painting. His creations skip the ordinary canvas of drawing. His "field of expression" extends to a variety of nuts, fruit and vegetable husks, coffee beans, chocolate and all sorts of things he does wonders about. His paintings tell of the immense beauty of a fabulous city near the Bosphorus called Istanbul. His love for the city inspires him to spend hours glued to his miniature drawings and create true masterpieces. Things that in a hurried daily life one would miss because they are insignificant and small. Throughout his 22-year career, Calais has created over 350 paintings and is currently working on creating a miniature art museum. Although he clearly realizes that no one can hang on his wall his "micro" picture, the artist tirelessly follows his own path and may soon find a solution to this "problem".
Calais was born in Bursa in 1959 and only at the age of five became acquainted with the wonders of micro art. Although he attended school instead of paying attention in class, the young artist's mind was still captivated by the miniatures. In his country he is known as the Turkish "Microangelo", and the name is borrowed from a play on words.
Years later, Calais was already an established artist in miniature painting, combining this passion with jewelry making. At that time, the artist began to take a keen interest in both the history of his country and the traces left by the peoples who inhabited Anatolia over the centuries. He presents his skills at conferences, seminars and university courses. By adding new details, decorations and insignificant elements to old objects, the artist turns them into objects of high collector's and emotional value and makes us think that often the most beautiful things are simply arranged and that they are often in front of our eyes without we realize it.
The next challenge for Calais is to portray the Istanbul skyline on a strand of hair. The artist's desire is to create a special museum where he can display his work and make it accessible to many people.
