PROFILE: MIKE DARGAS

How can one study his motifs with such intensity that each portrait pictures a profile of increasing intimate closeness? Well, Mike Dargas (32) can. 

Mike Dargas

    Despite Dargas' young age, he has become a successful artist who works and lives in Cologne, Germany. In his 20's, Dargas already became popular by his tattoos. He had been doing road surface painting as early as the age of 11. A very talented guy, don't you think? Wait until you see his work. 

THE UNNAMED FEELING (2014)                                       ?
80 x 100 cm    
OIL ON CANVAS

    Dargas paints realistically to canvas with oil colours. And when I say realistically, I mean REALISTICALLY. Seriously, this man is amazing! I have no idea how he does that! In every image, he seems to seek for perfection and it's like he's trying to show the viewer the soul of the model. He portrays young, old, beautiful, dark, fragile and strong people. The pictures have this calmness that is there, even though the pictures are strong. It amazes me every time.
    Dargas is probably most known for his "Honeyface" paintings. They too, are very realistic and the honey, painted in the picture, gives it some liveliness. I'll have to admit that when I first saw these paintings, I thought they were photographs. I only recognized them to portraits after I saw Dargas panting in one of the pictures.

SWEET AMBER (2015) - 150 x 100 cm - OIL ON CANVAS

HIT THE LIGHTS (2015)
140 x 220 cm
OIL ON CANVAS

    Generally speaking, Mike Dargas is an artist, who makes large,  sensual and hyperrealistic portraits that are so close to perfection we could easily confuse them with photography.

THE ECSTASY OF GOLD (2014) - 140 x 220 cm - OIL ON CANVAS

240 words

NARRATIVE

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/78185000/jpg/_78185505_12.00-sujansarkar-sewageworker.jpg

It was a humid and bright morning when Mahi woke up. The air smelled like fresh flowers and summer. Even though it was early, the air was already incredibly hot. "Well, this is India", Mahi mumbled as he got up. He walked to the other side of the room and poured some yellowish water to the bowl that he used for washing up. He splattered some water to his face and upper torso to wash away the sleepiness. Then he put on some shorts and a t-shirt that were not very clean. He shrugged his shoulders to dismiss this thought. 
    He didn't eat anything before he exited his small and rickety hut. He nodded hello to the old lady living next door. "She's going to die soon", he thought as he walked past her. Mahi sighed to the thought of the long walk to work. He could not afford a car, or a bike or anything that could help him move faster. There was no way he could borrow money as he was already drowning in dept to the local pimp. 
     As he kept walking, his mood got brightened up as he approached a certain house. His heart began to beat faster as he reached the house. There she was. The woman of his life. Mahi could not stop to watch her even though he wanted. The father had threatened him after a very embarrassing proposal that if Mahi came back, he would kill him. This was because the girl was from a wealthier family andd her parents had no intentions to let him marry her. So he walked past the house with depressed thoughts.
    Eventually he reached his working place; a sewage cleaning office. (It was, literally, a very shitty job) He went straight to his partner, whose name he didn't even know, and they left. Luckily this day's sewage was near the office so they didn't have to walk too long in the heat. 
    When he had been cleaning the sewage for a while his boss came to tell him he'd been fired. He just came and left without answering  Mahi's questions. So Mahi left whit even more depressing thoughts. He walked through the unbearable midday heat and the air was thick from dust and exhaust fumes. He walked and walked the long way back home. He didn't even check if the girl of his dreams was in site. He'd lost his job. Now he couldn't even afford food. 
    Later that day he heard from the woman next door that the girl of his dreams had been raped and due to that, sold to prostitution. His stomach started aching and he fell to his bed. He fell asleep thinking of murdering himself because all he ever cared was gone. He felt physically sick. The pain was too much to handle, and so he slept away.

Maiju Jokihaara
   

PHOTOGRAPHY (THE CHOISE IS YOURS)

Photography is something you can't describe or explain in one sentence. There are so any levels and ways to take and edit pictures that no one, I repeat, no one is able to tell you all of the. The art of photography has always been near to my heart as I'm into it myself. Have you ever thought how many pictures there are in the world? Imagine it. Billions and even more pictures have been taken and immortalized. Every picture taken is unique and there can't be two that are exactly the same. In some countries photographing in public is illegal due to a belief that it captures soul to the picture. Crazy or not? 

PHOTOGRAPHY FAVOURITES

• CREATIONSOFLA ** An account on instagram which I enjoy
• BRIVN.J.LVSVCK ** An another account on instagram
• ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE ** An amazing American black and white photographer
• KRISTOFFER ALBRECHT  ** A Finnish photographer