PRESS

Tapping his love of the Polaroid camera, he created a bizarre amalgamation of the famous building through digital enhancements that brought his personal vision into focus: Mar-a-Lago engulfed in flames against an ominous backdrop of shadows and gray.

“Hell Is Round The Corner,’’ as the photograph is called, is Isildak’s take on the tension and pressure he has felt living so close to the megaphone of right-wing fervor dividing the country.

Art is supposed to incite personal interpretations and meanings unique to each viewer. But Isildak, in an interview, felt it important to set the record straight about the meaning of the photo’s fiery imagery.

Renaissance Artist - Boca Magazine

Isildak has directed more than 20 music videos since, and along the way has developed a retro visual language, his work often conjuring the analog feel of worn-out VHS tapes and staticky tube televisions. “I watched everything on a square television growing up on MTV, with bad reception, and scratchy VHS tapes you’d watch a thousand times,” Isildak recalls. “And at some point, you’d upgrade to DVD or digital, and something would feel like it’s missing. You end up trying to find ways to get that feeling back from when you first fell in love with something.”

Meet Ates Isildak | Photography & Videographer - Shoutout Miami

I’m inspired most by people. I used to think art was creating something from nothing. But now I find it so much more fulfilling to collaborate with others, starting with just a seed of an idea. Whether it be portrait work with a single model, or a music video with a five-piece band, there’s always this reciprocal magic happening, visions mutate, new inspiration comes, friendships are formed.

Meet Ates Isildak of Strange Wave in WPB - VoyageMIA

It’s been a strange road. Maybe it’s because I don’t actually make art as a living, I don’t ever concentrate on selling my art or services. I can work as little or as much as I want and only on things I am passionate about. The struggle is making time for art even when the rest of life gets overwhelming.

COVID has made it very difficult to collaborate the way I used to. I love working with people. It’s essential to my videos and photography. I am hoping collaborations will start again soon.
I am mainly known for my music videos for local bands. I’ve worked with TamaGucci, Surfer Blood, Chaucer, Le Poodle, Everymen, Reptile Chapel, and lots of other great bands, some that aren’t around any longer. My style is very lofi/diy, inspired by Michel Gondry’s home-made prop look, except my sets and props are literally homemade. So there is child-like energy to much of my work.

Lately, I have been focusing on photography, and my work is very saturated and vibrant both in choice of model and lighting, the work kind of imitating that blacklight poster glow.

PopMuzik:

“Ates Isildak has directed the video for the song, which takes place in a dark VHS world. Got some early Jonas Åkerlund vibes over the video, which for us music video lovers is a good rating. “So you should definitely not miss that video.

Bloody Disgusting: “Murder, cannibalism, Satanic rituals… Sounds like a pretty good way to kick off the week, right?… With elements of House of 1,000 Corpses and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, this video might be a little NSFW, so be careful where you watch it” Joe Narode of Troma: “Excellent job on the video, it was fantastic…… keep up the Tro-mazing work!” AV CLUB: "a color-splashed and slightly wiggly romp with a cast of what appears to be hundreds" Tropicult: “This new take on an old murder gets in front of the eyes of horror fans everywhere. Dealing with prostitution, murder, and cannibalism, this freaky mini-movie will make you feel weird inside” Noisey:“Someone clearly spent a fair amount of money on this video, which makes me sad. No one’s parents should blindly fund their pipe dreams.”