Confessions of Dangerous Minds - Contemporary Art from Turkey

confe s sions of dangerous mind s

Contemporary Art from Turkey Curated by Artnesia 16 – 3 0 april 2 0 11 LOND ON

confe s sions of dangerous mind s

Contemporary Art from Turkey Curated by Artnesia

phillips de pu ry & co mpany Space at th e sa atchi gallery lo ndo n

16 – 3 0 April 2 0 11

Preface

by Simon de Pury, Chairman, Phillips de Pury & Company

Straddling the continents of Europe and Asia, Turkey’s significant location has always been its most important and defining feature.

From the Neolithic settlement at Troy, site of the famous Trojan War, to the far reaching Ottomans via the all conquering Emperor Constantine, the Anatolian Peninsula has played host to countless civilizations over the millennia, all of which have helped define modern-day Turkey as a country steeped in history and tradition and resolutely open to the rest of the world.

As the Turkish art critic Ahu Antmen powerfully evokes in her essay for this catalogue, although an incredible pluralism in medium and

acknowledgements The artists Louisa Anderson Ahu Antmen Giovanna Beretta Daryo Beskinazi Anna Bodungen Marilena Borgna Rosalba Brana Merve Caglar Giulia Costantini Mark CrosslandTaylor Finn Dombernowsky Haldun Dostoglu Andres Duarte Yasemin Elci Kerimcan Guleryuz Leila Heller Mark Hudson Huma Kabakci Andrew Lindesay Lara Ogel Hazer Ozil Murat Pilevneli Tom Radcliffe Gianni Romagno Sim Safak Jon Stonton Peter Sumner EdwardTang Melis Terzioglu Berna Tuglular Ozlem Unsal Rute Ventura Tarik Yoleri Moiz Zilberman with special thanks to Raphael Lepine for all his hard work and commitment.

Supported by

Whether known as Byzantium, Constantinople or Istanbul, Turkey’s

subject matter is immediately evident amongst the 38 works selected,

major cultural and financial centre on the banks of the Bosphorus

it is a parodic approach to the visual image and its references to

has always attracted European artists, providing them with imagery

Western art history which binds the 19 artists in Confessions of

and subject matter which were exotic to the audiences of the day.

Dangerous Minds. As I perused the exhibition selection, I was

Now, in the 21st century, artists in the East, and especially those from

particularly struck by three works from two artists. Taner Ceylan’s

Turkey, are drawing on imagery in Western art, as so many of the

remarkable, risqué hyper-realist mise en scène of marginal society

works in this exhibition demonstrate.

reminded me of the Swiss painter Franz Gertsch, a favourite of mine.

Deniz Uster’s brilliantly subversive reworkings of masterpieces

It is therefore a great pleasure and honour to be able to introduce

from Vermeer and Titian are testament to a confidence of an artist

the brilliantly, darkly titled Confessions of Dangerous Minds, an

extending the canon of appropriation and painting in art.

exhibition which brings together the most exciting, influential and promising contemporary art from Turkey. With works spanning from

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jason and Carlo, the

painting and sculpture to photography and video, the sheer breadth

young and brilliant curators of Confessions of Dangerous Minds,

and depth of this group show highlights the vibrant creative surge

for their unique vision and talent in assembling such an eclectic yet

evident today in Turkey. I am very excited that Phillips de Pury at

focused selection of artists and their works in which the whole is

the fabulous Saatchi Gallery is showing for the first time in London

far greater than the sum of its parts. Jason and Carlo’s energy and

an exhibition dedicated solely to Turkey’s extraordinary artistic

passion is as infectious as their knowledge and insight is vast.

achievements and that this thriving cultural field is being exposed to

As tastemakers far ahead of the curve, their dedication to the

a wider audience.

emerging arts, whether from China, India, the Middle East and now Turkey, has always been and continues to be second to none.

I invite you to, like me, let your mind and eyes be mesmerized by the rich wonders of contemporary art from Turkey which this catalogue and exhibition proudly celebrates.

Confessions of Dangerous Minds Ahu Antmen

TURKEY SINCE THE 1980s has been going through an array of

Conceptualism. The New Trends exhibitions which in contemporary

identity, while others only reflect how Western-oriented cultural

Moving from Taner Ceylan’s photographic paintings to Nazif

economic, political and cultural changes that is transforming not only

Turkish art history is considered to have been the threshold to

practices have shaped that identity. Diversity in medium and stylistic

Topcuoglu’s painting-like photographs, one is faced with the

patterns of life, but many aspects of visual culture. New paradigms

alternative practices, was held for the first time at the Academy

tendencies is the most prominent feature in recent Turkish art,

question as to what captures the eye in today’s visual culture: is it the

are on their way, as can be felt and seen in the ways in which the

in 1977. It was in these exhibitions that artists searching for new

which coincides with the pluralism of international artistic practice

story behind the image, or the mechanics of the image itself? Erinc

old ideologies and mannerisms are crumbling. But Turkey being the

ways of making art, such as Füsun Onur, Ayse Erkmen, Sanat Tanımı

since the 1990s. While we can find interesting examples in different

Seymen creates short visual cuts of contemporary culture through

Janus that it is, facing both tradition and modernity, this change is

Toplulugu (The Definition of Art Group) and Gülsün Karamustafa

mediums such as painting, sculpture, installation, photography and

the image using graphic signs that he borrows or invents, while Leyla

neither a leap into the future nor a lapse back into the past, but an

first exhibited their work. The Academy lost its driving force in the

video, we can also witness an artist freely moving from one medium

Gediz seems more interested in reflecting the personal confusions

amalgam of both dynamics. It is this that is shaping the new Turkey,

1980s, while the neo-liberal turn at the time created a society in which

to another in the pursuit of creating meaning within the most apt

of the contemporary individual in times and places that we can only

and such a country creates interesting visions and reflects stirring

other cultural forces, and almost exclusively private endeavours, took

mode of expression.

guess to be real or imaginary. Sıtkı Kösemen’s images of women also

images. Just think: you can come across a topless woman and a

over the mission to ‘capture the present’, as it were, and embarked

woman covered from head to toe wearing the new design discovery

on a journey that dramatically changed the scene for contemporary

But it is also possible to find common ground on which to base this

characters, while Canan Senol’s feminist approach touches critically

‘swim-cover’ on one and the same beach. You can be surprised to

art in Turkey. Let us point out however that, despite the recent boom

diverse artistic production. Though of different generations reflecting

on the issue of woman as an object of contemplation in both art and

learn that while Turkey was one of the first countries to grant women

and the apparent buzz of activity institutionally and economically

different historical and personal histories, contemporary Turkish

culture.

the right to vote and stand for election, the number of ‘honour

the art scene still hangs by a thin thread. There is still no sufficient

artists share certain traits and interests that can be felt to be at

killings’ of young women by male family members is shocking.

public or private support to sustain the rapid developments in Turkish

the core of the artistic transformation in the last decades. The first

Deniz Uster’s parodies of famous masterworks directly borrows

Political arguments in Turkey these days can centre on a child’s right

contemporary art today.

is a tendency to question the basic premises of the ‘big questions’

from art, an approach that can be said to be a common thread that

related to social and cultural life in their homeland, such as what

binds all these artists – almost all show a parodic approach to the

to wear a veil in primary school in the name of democracy, yet naming

reflect a boundary between fantasy and reality in the image of women

a child with a Kurdish name can still cause legal trouble. It doesn’t

Other exhibitions in the 1980s and the early 1990s, such as the

constitutes the idea of nation, identity, culture, tradition, modernity

image in various indirect ways, reminding the viewer of art historical

take much guessing to see what is happening: Turkey has entered the

Artists of Today exhibitions (1980 to the present), A Cross-section of

and how ‘big answers’ related to such issues are shifting. Turkish

references. Ramazan Bayrakoglu’s burning pope is one such

new millennium on a time machine that has brought with it the return

Avantgarde Turkish Art (1984–88), the A, B, C, D exhibitions (1989–93),

artists today realize that the personal can be and is political when

example. Although Bayrakoglu generally creates visual wonders

of the repressed: its historical past deeply ingrained with religion,

and the Youth Event (1995–98) all constituted a new basis for artists of

one is talking from an outsider’s position wherever that is situated,

of the mundane through an elaborate sewing technique, his recent

its modernist sense of nationhood deeply set on the idea of Turkish

alternative tendencies, while the launch of the International Istanbul

be it in gender, ethnicity or plain existential angst. A bursting

experiments with other techniques also reflects an interest in the

identity, and its current postmodern state where all meanings related

Biennial in 1987 and its subsequent impact brought confidence to

tendency for narrative, a desire to tell stories of social relevance, is

dynamic process of image-making. Yasam Sasmazer’s figurative

to such matters are constantly shifting. Needless to say, such a

local contemporary artists, confirming their pursuit for a new artistic

another common feature that binds these artists seldom interested

sculpture of children, or should we say ‘little people’, is perhaps one

vibrant atmosphere provides fertile ground for artists. Indeed, Turkish

language. It also brought a chance to connect with an international

in blank avant-garde gestures. Confessions of Dangerous Minds is

of the highlights of the show … Made to confess something seemingly

art of the past 20 to 30 years tends to be interesting, ironic, funny,

network of artists and art professionals. Many of the artists who

thus an interesting title for a collection that brings together a group

naughty, there is something uncanny in the fantastic world the artist

witty, sharp, edgy. It poses questions, it provokes arguments. It leaves

started showing internationally actually made their careers outside

of contemporary Turkish artists who in different ways use art as a

creates, a feeling that we all remember from our childhood. It is that

the onlooker surprised at the sheer variety of human material a place

of Turkey, and in most instances their work was only shown in Turkey

kind of confession in a society where democracy is understood, still,

eye within: the push towards the urge to confess!

has to offer.

later. The series of Istiklâl Adventure exhibitions curated by René

as the rule of the many and thus ‘confessing’, or even just saying

Block at the Yapı Kredi Kazım Taskent Art Gallery (2007–10) brought

what(ever) you think can constitute a falling-out of the rigid norms of

Confessions of Dangerous Minds is a selection of works that is

such artists to the closer attention of a local audience.

that majority.

endlessly interesting to look at with their references to art history,

Although host to one of the most popular biennials in the world, Turkey’s contemporary art scene has taken time to flourish and

to contemporary visual culture, and to pop icons and attitudes. It

attract international interest. The lack of institutional support in both

The conditions under which contemporary Turkish art has been

The artists included in the Confessions of Dangerous Minds reflect

reflects a world of signs that are themselves confessions of how

public and private terms was the main reason for the late-coming.

developing has thus lead to a framework in which artists of different

the diversity which we find in the Turkish art scene in various

Turkey’s visual culture is inevitably tied to contemporary global

Prior to the 1980s, very few private galleries existed and there was

generations fall under the same rubric of ‘Turkish Contemporary’,

aspects, from the choice of medium to the choice of subject matter.

culture, beyond the confines of one’s own cultural identity.

virtually no interest in contemporary art. But this is not to say that

but they do not share common ground in relation to their generation

Ansen is interested in the interdisciplinary aesthetics of the image

an urge for the contemporary in visual expression did not exist. On

(as in a peer group situation such as the YBAs), in relation to their

in an age of new visual technologies, while Canan Tolon creates

the contrary: the state of being contemporary has been something

outlook on life (as in a circle of like-minded artists), or in their

works that question the underlying structures beyond both nature

of a cultural mission for the Turkish art world, causing artists to

relation to certain mediums or stylistic tendencies (pluralism rules

and culture. Ansen abstracts from the photographic image, so

develop an eye always on the lookout for new cultural trends and

the day). Indeed, ‘Turkish Contemporary’ is inter-generational; some

making visible the mystery of that abstracting process; Tolon hides

artistic currents. Ironically, the Art Academy (today the Mimar

of the leading, active figures are in their sixties, while the upcoming

the process and shows only the enigma of the image. Taner Ceylan’s

Sinan Fine Arts University) was the most progressive force in the

generation are in their twenties and thirties. Turkish contemporary art

hyper-realism also reflects an interest in visual processes, but his

Turkish art world until the 1980s, with instructors urging students

includes different outlooks on life; there are many artists interested

subject matter, an interest in the visual culture of the marginal is to

towards international current trends such as Pop, Minimalism and

to show ideologically the historical conditions that define Turkish

the fore.

Ahu Antmen is a lecturer, art critic and writer. She studied at Istanbul University and then at Goldsmiths College in London where she was awarded with an MA in 20th-century art. She lectures on 20th-century and contemporary art in the Faculty of Fine Arts at Marmara University in Istanbul. She is a contributor to several books including Unleashed: Contemporary Art from Turkey (2010) and has written monographs on Turkish artists such as Ali Teoman Germaner and Hale Tenger. She writes regularly for the daily Turkish language newspaper Radikal.

Curatorial note

Carlo Berardi and Jason Lee (Artnesia)

confe s sions of dangerous mind s

We first visited Istanbul in October 2008, on the occasion of the third edition of the art fair there. While researching artistic movements from the Middle East, we were hearing that something very intriguing was happening in Turkey, so curiosity was really the main driving force behind our first visit. In a way, this trip was an epiphany for us.

Having seen the works by a number of extremely talented artists, it did not take us long to realise that we had to put together an

C O N T E M P O RARY AR T F r o M T U R K E Y

exhibition in London.

Sitting at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Turkey raises a range of important questions for artists and their state of mind. We quickly

This exhibition is, in effect, a journal recording the many complex

came to understand that one could see in these works the artists’

stories which bind the artists with their primary subject matter:

feelings, their passions and hidden emotions, as well as their doubts

issues of identity, politics, gender and nationalism. The exhibition,

and fears.

which is the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, will certainly raise the profile of contemporary art from Turkey. It has taken us over

When, after some research, we started to give a direction to our

two years to put together a selection of works that represents each

project, we decided that we wanted to explore the full breadth, depth

artist at his or her best. We are certain that it will open the doors to

and diversity of Turkey’s visual arts. This meant featuring both artists

a number of diverse international collectors who are keen to start

living and working in Turkey as well as those from the diaspora who,

looking at Turkish art.

despite living abroad, have kept very close to their artistic roots and traditions.

Ansen Kutlug Ataman

Our aim is to provide visitors to the exhibition with a selection of works coming from a country with a millenarian culture and located in a very particular geographical position. We chose the

Ramazan Bayrakoglu Canan

title Confessions of Dangerous Minds, as we believe that the works

Taner Ceylan

portray visually the inner self of each of the artists. So we are, in one

Hussein Chalayan

sense, inviting the visitors to read the artist’s minds while looking at the works, in order to discover this divergence between essence,

Leyla Gediz

appearance, sexuality, death, persuasion that eventually becomes the

Yesim Akdeniz Graf

leitmotif of this show.

Sitki Kosemen Sukran Moral Ardan Ozmenoglu Yasam Sasmazer Erinc Seymen Erkut Terliksiz Canan Tolon Nazif Topcuoglu Deniz Uster Ebru Uygun Ekrem Yalcindag

Ansen Through Ya, 2005 Lambda monoprint 140 Ă— 100 cm (triptych) This work is unique

KUTLUG ATAMAN Stefan’s Room, 2004 Five-screen video installation (approximately 45 minutes) Edition of 5

Ramazan Bayrakoglu The sacred fire of faith, 2010 –11 Satin and embroidery on canvas 235 × 145 cm

Ramazan Bayrakoglu Cockpit, 2011 Silkscreen ink on Plexiglas panel 195.5 Ă— 245 cm

Canan Fountain, 2000 Video loop (57 seconds) Edition of 6

Taner Ceylan Je t’aime Peggy, 2008 Oil on canvas 140 × 200 cm

Hussein Chalayan Hussein Chalayan

I am sad Leyla (Üzgünüm Leyla), 2010

I am sad Leyla (Üzgünüm Leyla), 2010

C-type photograph mounted on aluminium and framed

Film on DVD (7 minutes 17 seconds)

80 × 110 cm

Edition of 6

Edition of 3

Leyla Gediz Yengeรง (Crab), 2006 Oil on canvas 100 ร 80 cm

Yesim Akdeniz Graf Cassandra Complex 2, 2010

Oil on canvas 190 Ă— 150 cm

Sitki Kosemen

Sitki Kosemen

Belly Dancer, 2010

Semiha Berksoy, 2010

C-print on paper

C-print on paper

120 Ă— 120 cm

120 Ă— 120 cm

Edition of 5

Edition of 5

sukran moral

sukran moral

Despair, 2003

Pero, 2010

Video

C-print

Edition of 5

150 Ă— 100 cm Edition of 5

ardan Ozmenoglu

ardan Ozmenoglu

ardan Ozmenoglu

ardan Ozmenoglu

Ataturk, 2011

Ataturk, 2011

Ataturk, 2011

Ataturk, 2011

Mixed media on Post-It notes

Mixed media on Post-It notes

Mixed media on Post-It notes

Mixed media on Post-It notes

84 × 70 cm

84 × 70 cm

84 × 70 cm

84 × 70 cm

Ardan Ozmenoglu Every man’s dream, 2010 Ceramic sculptures Dimensions variable

Yasam sasmazer

Yasam sasmazer

Treacherous Wolf, 2008

Gruesome Bear, 2011

Hand-painted linden wood sculpture with vinyl

Hand-painted linden wood sculpture with vinyl

140 × 45 × 40 cm (figure)

138 × 45 × 42 cm (figure)

Erinc Seymen Ikna Odasi (Persuasion Room), 2008 Oil on canvas 100 Ă— 70 cm

Erinc Seymen

Erinc Seymen

Untitled, 2009

Untitled, 2009

Paillette embroidery on fabric

Paillette embroidery on fabric

200 cm (diameter)

200 cm (diameter)

erkut terliksiz

erkut terliksiz

erkut terliksiz

erkut terliksiz

Untitled, 2007

Dog, Sheep, Hat, 2007

Untitled, 2007

Untitled, 2007

Mixed media on MDF

Mixed media on MDF

Mixed media on MDF

Mixed media on MDF

100 × 70 cm

100 × 70 cm

100 × 70 cm

100 × 70 cm

Detail: single panel

Canan Tolon Waiting to Happen, 2010 Oil on board (sixteen panels) Each: 30 Ă— 30 cm; overall: 120 Ă— 120 cm

Canan Tolon Nature Morte (November), 2010 Rust and pigments on canvas 154 Ă— 124 cm

Nazif Topcuoglu

Nazif Topcuoglu

Hunger, 2011

Murder Mystery, 2009–10

C-print on paper

C-print on paper

65 × 75 cm

70 × 60 cm

Edition of 5

Edition of 5

Nazif Topcuoglu Theatre for the blind, 2009 –10 C-print on paper 55 × 78 cm Edition of 5

Nazif Topcuoglu Introspection, 2010 C-print on paper 55 Ă— 77 cm Edition of 5

deniz uster Transmutation (after Titian), 2008 Oil on canvas 119 Ă— 165 cm

deniz uster Transmutation (after Vermeer), 2008 Oil on canvas 50 Ă— 40 cm

Ebru Uygun Twisted Resonances, 2011 Mixed media on canvas 200 Ă— 200 cm

Ekrem Yalcindag Impressions from the street, 2010–11 Oil on canvas 200 cm (diameter)

ANSEN b. 1978

Ramazan Bayrakoglu b. 1968

Taner Ceylan b. 1967

Leyla Gediz b. 1974

Ansen, who is known only by his first name,

Ramazan Bayrakoglu was born in 1968 in

Taner Ceylan was born in Selb, Germany in 1967.

Born in Istanbul in 1974, Leyla Gediz studied at

was born in Kayseri in 1978. He graduated in

Balikesir, and now lives and works in Izmir. He

He graduated from the painting department

a succession of London art colleges – Chelsea,

2003 from the painting department in the Fine

began his art education in 1984 Department of

of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Mimar Sinan

the Slade and Goldsmiths – before returning

Arts Faculty of Mimar Sinan University. In 2004,

Painting in the Faculty of Fine Arts at Dokuz

University in 1991. He has shown his work in

to her native city. Gediz’s first exhibition, Cool,

his first solo exhibition, x-ist-ence, was held at

Eylül University in Izmir. He has had four solo

numerous solo and group exhibitions since

organized by Giacomo Pica, was held in 1999 in London. Other solo exhibitions have been held

Gallery x-ist in Istanbul. Ansen has since held

shows, including 1km at Dirimart in Istanbul,

1990, both locally and internationally, in Turkey,

three solo exhibitions: Resistance (2006), Menace

(2009) and Earth and Fiber at Galery Apel in

Switzerland, Spain, Luxembourg, Germany and

at Galerist in Istanbul, Roberts & Tilton in Los

(2008), and The Trace (2009). He also participated

Istanbul (2007), and had been in numerous group

the United States. His most recent exhibitions

Angeles, at Fabian-Claude Walter Gallery in

in numerous local and international group shows;

shows, such as When Ideas Become Crime at

are Istanbul Cool! What’s Happening in

Zurich, at Österreichisches Sankt Georgs-kolleg

the last one was Tradition of New: New Aspects

Depo in Istanbul (2010), Istanbul Cool! What’s

Contemporary Turkish Art Now, LTMH Gallery

in Istanbul, and at Cable Gallery in Helsinki.

in Contemporary Asian Art at the Sakshi Gallery

Happening in Contemporary Turkish Art Now,

(New York, 2010); a solo show at Galerist,

Gediz also participated in local and international

in Taipei (2009). His works have been selected

at LTMH Gallery, New York (2010), and Istanbul

Istanbul in 2010; Abstraction of Nothing, another

exhibitions such as Fantasy & Island, at FRAC

for a number of international art fairs including

Modern Berlin, at Martin-Gropius-Bau (Berlin,

solo exhibition at I-20 Gallery in New York in 2009;

in Corsica (2010), and A Dream … but not yours:

SCOPE New York and SCOPE Basel in 2010,

2009). Bayrakoglu brings conceptual content to

and Naked!, a group show curated by Adrian

Contemporary Art from Turkey, at the National

and ART HK 10 (Hong Kong International Art

painting by disrupting the classical perception

Dannatt at the Paul Kasmin Gallery in New York

Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington

Fair, 2010). Ansen’s work offers a unique look at

of the genre through a variety of disciplines.

(2009). Ceylan is now seen as the leading hyper-

(2010). Her distinctive paintings deal with themes

a new hybrid between painting, sculpture and

For example, he often uses text to open up

realist artist in Turkey. Ceylan’s astoundingly

such as everyday life, and though her works

photography. His work operates at the cusp of

semantic games in his works, and in so doing,

realistic paintings are technical masterpieces

often appear to have a strong narrative content,

figuration and abstraction, and what at first

he has developed an approach free of standard

of patience and precision. Basing the work on

there is also a sense of ambiguity. Although

appears elusive is, upon closer examination, a

forms and open to different materials and

an actual image, and enlarging it using digital

her approach is autobiographical, her art is not

readable narrative component.

implementations.

means and the painstaking use of a paintbrush,

entirely self-absorbed as she engages with the

Ceylan repeatedly embellishes the original to

viewers on both a humorous and emotional level.

convey a narrative and a new sense of reality.

Gediz currently lives and works in Istanbul.

Kutlug Ataman b. 1961

Canan b. 1970

Hussein Chalayan b. 1970

Yesim Akdeniz Graf b. 1970

Kutlug Ataman lives and works in London,

Born in Istanbul in 1970, Canan originally studied

Hussein Chalayan was born in Nicosia, Northern

Yesim A. Graf was born in Izmir and received

Islamabad and Istanbul. After he received

business administration before moving to the

Cyprus, in 1970 and graduated from the Turkish

her art education from the Art Academy in

his bachelor’s degree from the University of

painting department of Marmara University.

Maarif College there. He moved with his family

Düsseldorf, Germany. She did her postgraduate

California in Los Angeles (UCLA), he continued

She has won many awards and participated

to the UK in 1978, where he was granted British

work at De Ateliers in Amsterdam. Graf also

his studies there for his master of fine arts

in residency programmes in Germany and the

citizenship. He first studied for a National

took part in the artists’ residency programme

degree. His works have been shown at several

USA. Her exhibitions include her solo show

Diploma in fashion and clothing at Warwickshire

in Platform Istanbul, 2010. Her solo exhibitions

international exhibitions, such as Documenta in

Even a Cat Has a Moustache at Gallery x-ist in

School of Arts, and then studied fashion design

include Ulalume at Galerie Fons Welters

Kassel (2002) as well as the Biennials in Berlin

Istanbul (2010), her performance Bashfulness (at

at Central Saint Martins College in London.

(Amsterdam, 2011), A World Full of Lies at

(2001), São Paulo (2002) and Istanbul (1997, 2003,

Platform Art Center, Istanbul, 2007, and at Center

Chalayan is one of Turkey’s best-known and most

Galerist (Istanbul, 2009), and in 2003 at Galerie

2007), at the Venice Biennale (1999) and at the

Pompidou, Paris, 2010), Finally in You’re in Me

respected designers, and was the recipient of

Klinkhammer un Metzner (Düsselforf). She

Tate Triennial (2003). His solo exhibitions have

(Istanbul, 2000) and New Works, New Horizons,

the Designer of the Year awards in 1999 and 2000.

has taken part in group exhibitions at 20/20

been held at leading galleries and museums

at the Istanbul Modern Museum in 2009. As well

He represented Turkey at the Venice Biennale in

Vision in Stedelijk Museum CS (Amsterdam) in

worldwide, such as Istanbul Modern (2011),

as participating in the 2005 Istanbul Biennal, the

2005 and presented a critically acclaimed survey

2004, Deutchemalereizweitausenddrei (curated

Whitechapel Gallery in London (2010), Ludwig

1st Valencia Biennal in 2001 and 9th International

at London’s Design Museum in 2009, which later

by Nicholaus Schafhausen) in 2003 at the

Museum in Cologne (2009), and the Serpentine

Print Biennal in Varna in 1997, the artist has also

toured to the Museum of Contemporary Art in

Kunstverein in Frankfurt. Graf’s work are held in

Gallery in London (2002). His works are in major

exhibited in the USA, Brazil, France, Germany,

Tokyo and to the Istanbul Museum of Modern

special collections such as those of Deutsche

collections including those of MoMA, New

Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the UK. Canan’s

Art. His most recent exhibition was at the Lisson

Bank, Nederlandiche Bank, Frieze Museum

York, Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary,

work occupies a feminist position, addressing

Gallery in London in 2010. Chalayan’s pioneering

(The Netherlands).

Vienna, the Dimitris Daskalopoulos Collection,

the corrective and normalising role of social

approach and restless creativity means that he

Athens and the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh.

institutions and the different religious, political

frequently transcends the boundaries between

Ataman’s video and film works document the

and patriarchal foundations that structure

disciplines, drawing on themes from the fields of

lives of marginalized individuals who give voice

everyday life.

art, anthropology, music and design.

to their own obsessions, their relations with power structures and verbalize straightforwardly their subliminal issues or sexuality.

© Chris Moore

© Linz09

artist biographies

Sitki Kosemen b. 1955

Ardan Ozmenoglu b. 1979

Erinc Seymen b. 1980

Canan Tolon b. 1955

Sitki Kosemen was born in Izmir in 1955. He

Ardan Ozmenoglu was born in Ankara in

Erinc Seymen was born in Istanbul in 1980. He

Canan Tolon was born in Istanbul in 1955. She

studied architecture at the Middle East Technical

1979. She graduated from the Department of

graduated from the Faculty of Arts at Mimar

received her BA from Middlesex University,

University and exhibited his art works for the

Landscape Architecture and Urban Design in

Sinan University in 1999. He completed his

London (1980), and a Master of Architecture from

first time in 1977. He has had numerous solo

the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture at

master’s degree at the Faculty of Art and

University of California at Berkeley in 1983. Her

shows and appeared in many group exhibitions.

Bilkent University in 2002. Between 2003 and 2006,

Design of Yildiz Technical University in 2006.

paintings and installations have been exhibited

His prolific output also includes a wide variety

Ozmenoglu worked as a part-time landscape

He has had several solo exhibitions and has

nationally and internationally, and her work

of projects such as photo interviews, postcard

architect and urban designer at Kentimaj Urban

participated in many group exhibitions in Turkey

is in numerous collections. She has had solo

projects and published photography projects,

Design & Architecture Company in Ankara.

and abroad. In 2007 he had a solo exhibition at

exhibitions recently at the Galeri Nev, Ankara

including The Golden Horn 1993, Essays on the

She was a guest artist at the Kala Art Institute,

Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven and at Hiap

in 2010 and at the SFMOMA (San Francisco

Bosphorus, 2000, I Beyoglu, Bodrum Deep, Diaries,

Berkeley in the USA (2007). She has had solo

Project Spece in Helsinki. In 2009, he showed in

Museum of Modern Art) in 2009. In 2008, she

and Today is Today. His video art projects include

exhibitions at ALANistanbul, Gallery Play Studio

Ikna Odasi at Galerist in Istanbul. In 2010 he took

exhibited at Galeri Nev Istanbul and at Gallery

Portraits of Turkey (1998), Europeans (1999),

in Istanbul, and Galerie IAC Berlin (all 2008),

part in the group shows About Us, at Johann

Paule Anglim in San Francisco. Tolon is known

Midyat (2000), Pervari (2003), and Ice Cream, They

at Ilayda Art Gallery and Ekav Art Gallery, both

König in Berlin, and Nomos et Physis at Galerie

for her inventive processes, accidental and

Scream (2009). Kosemen has been working as an

in Istanbul, in 2009, and in 2010 at AC Institute

de l’UQAM in Montreal. His works are avowedly

premeditated, mostly inspired by architectural

artist using photography since the early 1990s.

in New York. She has participated in many

political, focusing in particular on the issues of

spaces in conflict with natural elements. Her

His central theme is Istanbul and its socio-

group shows in Turkey and abroad. Ozmenoglu

national identity and the status of homosexual

painting technique simulates photography in its

political transitions reflected in intriguing street

has created a unique place for herself in the

people. He works in various media such as

manipulation of reality and imagination, while

panorama and other spectacular photographic

art world, working in between the disciplines

painting, video, photography and installation art.

her sculptures use refraction to handle spatial

scenes. He also explores the everyday lives of the

of sculpture and printmaking. Her art is based

Parallel to the diversity of materials in his work,

illusions and senses of gravity. Her work reveals

city’s multi-cultural inhabitants through micro-

upon the idea of repetition in the process of

the artist uses many forms of visual expression

a vision of a problematic world often overlooked.

narrations. Kosemen works with Plan Creative

image consumption, history, and permanence in

rather than following a strict style, building

She lives and works both in Istanbul and in

Ltd on design, photography and video projects.

relation to mass production and ritual.

labour-intensive compositions woven with

San Francisco.

complex stories as well as plain and unexpected iconographic tricks.

Sukran Moral b. 1965

Yasam Sasmazer b. 1980

ERKUT TERLiKSiZ b. 1978

Nafiz TopCuoglu b. 1954

Sukran Moral was born Terme, in Samsun

The sculptor Yasam Sasmazer was born in

Erkut Terliksiz was born in 1978. After graduating

Born in 1954, Nazif Topcuoglu graduated with

province in Turkey in 1965. She moved in 1989 to

Istanbul in 1980. She studied in the workshop of

from the Department of Graphic Design in the

a Masters degree from the Institute of Design

Italy and in 1995 she graduated from the painting

Professor Rahmi Aksungur and graduated from

Faculty of Fine Arts at Mimar Sinan University in

in Chicago in 1981. Since then he has exhibited

department of the Academy of Fine Arts of

the Sculpture Department in the Faculty of Fine

2002, Erkut worked for many years as a designer

worldwide and has published three books on

Rome (Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma). Since

Arts at Mimar Sinan University in 2003. She

in various companies and as a freelancer. He

the history and criticism of photography. Nazif’s

1994, Moral has exhibited her performances/

completed her master’s degree at her alma mater

had his first solo exhibition, Debut, in 2007 in

work was included in the Turkish pavilion at

videos and installations worldwide. She has also

in 2006. Yasam has had several solo exhibitions

Gallery x-ist in Istanbul. Since then, he has

the 50th Venice Biennale in 2003 and he has

been included in many important group shows

and has participated in many group exhibitions

exhibited in Barcelona, Australia, Italy, Germany,

held several solo shows both in Istanbul and

in Turkey and abroad. Her work Hamam, which

and art fairs in Turkey, Europe and the USA.

France, China and Sweden. His most recent solo

abroad. Most recently he participated in the Solo

was exhibited in the 1997 Istanbul Biennial, is

Sasmazer’s two most recent solo shows are It’s

exhibition was Till We Meet Again at Gallery x-ist

Project in Basel in 2009 and was included in the

a highly influential work, and articles about her

so complicated, at Berlin Art Projects (2010), and

in Istanbul in 2010. Terliksiz and his work have

group show entitled A Subjective Panorama of

work have been published internationally. Her

Strangely Familiar, at the Cagla Cabaoglu Gallery

been featured in a range of magazines and books

Contemporary Turkish Photography as part of the

works have focused on various conditions of

in Istanbul (2010). Sasmazer lives and works

such as Pictoplasma, The Big Book of Illustration

Turkish Cultural Season in Paris at the Maison

religious and cultural restraint and pressure on

in Istanbul. Working in solid wood, Sasmazer

Ideas, Zupi magazine in Brazil and Place in Spain.

de Metallos in November 2009. Topcuoglu’s

women, and she has made many documentary

creates life-sized figures of children to explore

Terliksiz works in Istanbul.

works are in private and public art collections.

video-performances about those people who

many issues and concepts such as good and bad,

His work is included in several publications on

are often alienated by society, such as mentally

adulthood, and authority. The children are seen

contemporary art including Vitamin Ph: New

disabled people, immigrants, transsexuals and

to be occupied in different ways: imitating their

Perspectives in Photography (2006), User’s

prostitutes. Moral lives and works in Istanbul and

parents, being cheeky, dressing up, and even

Manual: Contemporary Art in Turkey 1986–2006

Rome.

eating some sort of blood-coloured fruit.

(2007), and Unleashed: Contemporary Art from Turkey (2010).

Deniz Uster b. 1981

Ekrem Yalcindag b. 1964

Deniz Uster was born in Istanbul in 1981

Ekrem Yalcindag completed his undergraduate

and is now based in Glasgow. She did her

degree at Izmir Dokuz Eylul Fine Arts

undergraduate degree in painting and drawing

Department and has since obtained his Masters

at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, and gained

in Fine Arts at Frankfurt a.M. Städelschule (in

her MA in Visual Arts and Visual Communication

Professor Hermann Nitsch’s studio). Yalcindag

Design at Sabanci University in Istanbul. In

has had several solo exhibitions, at Galerie Karl

June 2010, she completed her MFA studies at

Pfefferle in Munich, Kai Middendorff in Frankfurt,

Glasgow School of Art. Since 2004, Uster has

and Dirimart in Istanbul. He has also shown

had solo exhibitions and participated in many

his work in many group shows, such as From

group shows in Turkey and abroad. In 2010,

Traditional to Contemporary in Istanbul Modern

she exhibited in 16 shows in the UK, France,

Museum in 2010, Slow Paintings in Museum

Germany and Turkey. Young Scottish Video

Morsbroich Leverkusen in 2009, Nitsch – Vorbilder

Works (a collaborative video screening between

Zeitgenossen Lehre at Künstlerhaus in Vienna

Collective Gallery and Pist) in January 2011 is

in 2009. Yalcindag’s work is held in several

her most recent show in Istanbul. Her work often

important private collections, such as those

implies a process of transmutation, through the

of Allianz Collection (Munich), Borusan Perili

language of alchemy. However, differing from the

Kosk (Istanbul), Goetz Collection (Munich),

sublimity that is characteristic of hermeticism,

Istanbul Modern Museum, and Kunstmuseum

her works transform the valuable and the

(Stuttgart). Yalcindag lives and works in Istanbul

profitable into the futile and the useless.

and Frankfurt.

Ebru Uygun b. 1974 Ebru Uygun completed her art education in the Art and Design Department at Kingston University in the UK. She has had solo shows at Siyah Beyaz Gallery (Ankara), CAM Gallery (Istanbul), Mac Art Gallery (Istanbul), Dirimart (Istanbul) and Green Art Gallery (Dubai, UAE).

She has also been featured in group exhibitions such as Istanbul Cool: Turkish Contemporary Art at Close Proximity at LTMH Gallery (New York)

Published to coincide with the exhibition

in 2010, Marlborough Gallery (New York) in 2009,

Confessions of Dangerous Minds: Contemporary Art from Turkey

Coco Kühn & Ebru Uygun in Dirimart (Istanbul) 2007, Breeze to the Future at Sabanci University, in 2002, and at KASA Gallery (Istanbul). Uygun’s

16–30 April 2011 Phillips de Pury & Company Space at The Saatchi Gallery Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Road, London SW3 4SQ

works are in a number of important private collections.

Phillips de Pury & Company Howick Place, London SW1P 1BB Enquiries +44 20 7318 4010 ARTNESIA www.artnesia.com Front cover: Nazif Topcuoglu, Murder Mystery, 2009–10 Back cover: Canan Tolon, Waiting to Happen, 2010 All text © the authors 2011 All works © the artists 2011 Hussein Chalayan: courtesy the artist and Lisson Gallery, London Printed in the United Kingdom Phillips de Pury & Company

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