As a representative of diversity and innovation, JD Malat Gallery presents a selection of artists from international backgrounds and schools to contribute a unique and engaging aesthetic for Contemporary Istanbul 2021.
The booth features three recent paintings by one of Turkey's leading contemporary artists, Zümrütoglu. The artist explores authentic humanistic themes such as the fragility of human existence and corruptions of the mind. Through his expressive brush strokes and dynamism of colour, Zümrütoglu voices his anxieties regarding modern life. Strongly informed by his synaesthesia - the ability to see sound and hear colour - Zümrütoglu's heavily impastoed canvases invite the viewer to encounter humanity's deep desire to search for harmony amongst chaos.
Zümrütoglu's three bold colour-rich works are juxtaposed by Santiago Parra's monochromatic canvas. Equally expressive in nature, Parra's work is the search for the purest form of representation, an intimate look into the inner world of an artist, attempting to capture the aesthetics of the subconscious, free from the bounds of the compos mentis.
The booth also features a painting by the rising London-based Ghanaian artist Kojo Marfo. Through his bold figurative abstractions, Marfo articulates thoughtful observations of the different people and cultures he has encountered throughout his life in an effort to inspire change and cross-cultural connection. The artist's recent debut solo exhibition 'Dreaming of Identity' at JD Malat Gallery was a major success.
Also on display is a unique sculpture by Turkish sculptor Hande Sekerciler. Extraordinary and thought-provoking, the latest sculpture from her series 'ecstasy' depicts androgynous writhing figures laced in bronze. Entwined figures appear genderless and hairless. Sekerciler defines this as a state of 'purification', in which the figures remain independent from societal labels and offer an important axis for self-reflection in our contemporary age.
By bringing its diverse programme to the culturally diverse audience of Istanbul, JD Malat Gallery seeks to strengthen the dialogue between artists and viewers across the world.
