Istanbul is a Jakarta-based painter and his origins do not come from a family of artists, and neither has he ever received a formal education in art. Istanbul is a persona created to express the viciousness of the brain’s right hemisphere. Upon graduating from The London School of Public Relations Jakarta, Istanbul expresses his creativity in music, fashion and eventually expands his passions by engaging in acts of vandalism and becoming an outsider in the music and graffiti scenes. Istanbul has been painting since 2011 and he has never revealed himself to the public or participate in any visual art-related exhibitions.

Moreover, he is also an entrepreneur, specializing in several business sectors. This makes Istanbul a persona with a brand image of secrecy, creating duality in his life. His works, or when he creates art, Istanbul possesses a fundamentally philosophical mindset, that the artwork all originates from the subconscious, the psychosis and delusions of the mind, and also creates an abstract form of malignance in the form of textures, colours and composition. The main reason is to provoke and stimulate each individual into interpreting his works without limitations, for the paintings are himself, and he is the paintings themselves.