"The Invader" Collage

Before fully committing to his artistic practice, Erol completed a double major in Business Administration and Finance at Istanbul University and spent two decades as a top-level executive in the international corporate world.
In the years that followed, he embraced and pursued his true passion for painting under the guidance of distinguished artists and educators. His first mentor was Jale Yasan—a Turkish painter and women's rights activist who graduated from the Zeki Faik İzer workshop at the Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts. Under her mentorship, he specialized in design and oil painting. Subsequently, he received comprehensive theoretical and practical training in the plastic arts at Istasyon Art Academy, learning from masters of Turkish painting, most notably Sabri Berkel.
Drawing on his original designs and the technical expertise developed during this period, he continues his practice with rigorous focus, shaped by a multidisciplinary perspective—most notably art history and philosophy.
Based in Istanbul, Fatih Erol’s practice has evolved over the past twelve years from oil painting and mixed media toward a primary focus on collage art. His work continues to explore the complexities of the human condition, addressing social and political issues, animal and human rights, societal conflicts, and environmentalism—often infused with a subtle sense of humor.
Erol primarily works with analog collage, utilizing a 'cut-and-paste' technique that breathes new life into vintage magazines, newspapers, recycled book illustrations, and found objects. By recontextualizing the past, he grants each artwork a unique, non-repeatable identity. While he embraces the inherent limitations of analog materials, he occasionally incorporates photographic elements or digital interventions to further enrich his visual narratives.
His works have been widely exhibited across Turkey and are held in numerous private collections.