In Nurettin Erkan’s works—said to be inspired by Delacroix’s The Barque of Dante—what stands out most is his distinctive interpretation of color. The darkness that initially overwhelms the viewer gradually gives way, as the pupil expands, revealing the piercing details of daily and political anguish.

Written in the early 14th century, Dante’s Divine Comedy is one of the most celebrated epic poems in Italian literature. In this semi-autobiographical work, Dante narrates his spiritual journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. In 1822, French painter Eugène Delacroix created a dramatic visual interpretation of this journey titled La Barque de Dante—known in Turkish as “Dante’nin Kayığı” or “Dante’nin Salı”.

In Delacroix’s painting, Dante and the poet Virgil are depicted adrift in a boat, navigating a smoky, desolate river. Around them rise the cries of tortured souls—tormented bodies emerging from the waters, echoing the horrors of existence. The backdrop is heavy with gloom, the journey saturated in dread.

Artist Nurettin Erkan recalls that when he first visited the Louvre Museum, Delacroix’s painting left an indelible impression on him. As a Kurdish artist, Erkan found a deep connection between Dante’s somber voyage and the story of his own people. He studied the painting closely, drawing parallels between the existential anguish of the Kurds and Dante’s cursed passage through suffering.

Inspired by this resonance, Erkan began developing a series titled “Divine Comedy”, using Delacroix’s vision as a conceptual and emotional foundation. His work reimagines Kurdistan’s history as a fragile vessel struggling to stay afloat on the river of the world.

Through powerful intersections and meticulous detail, Erkan renders political and personal suffering in ways both poetic and unflinching.

What first appears as an overwhelming darkness slowly reveals itself—allowing the eye, once adjusted, to glimpse the sharp contours of torment and resistance beneath.

About Nurettin Erkan

Nurettin Erkan is a Kurdish artist and a graduate of the Painting Department at Mimar Sinan University. He has pursued his artistic practice continuously since his student years. One of his most impactful works is a 2×25 meter, single-panel painting installation dedicated to the Kurdish genocide in Iraq. This piece, part of the series titled “Those at the Foot of the Wall”, was exhibited at the TÜYAP Art Fair in Istanbul. Erkan’s works have been showcased in Turkey, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, Belgium, Luxembourg, Greece, Moldova, and the United States. He is currently working from his studio in the U.S., where he continues to explore themes of memory, history, and collective trauma through his art.