JD Malat Gallery are pleased to announce our participation in the 2019 edition of Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair. We will showcase an original and incomparable booth, with a carefully selected group of our exceptional artists; Katrin Fridriks, Conrad Jon Godly, Hans Kotter, Robert Montgomery, Andy Moses, Masayoshi Nojo, Santiago Parra, Hande Sekerciler, Henrik Uldalen and Zümrütoğlu.
Visitors will be immersed into the energetic and vivid artworks of Icelandic artist, Katrin Fridriks. The artist's technique behind these works does not conform to the conventional method of painting with brushes, instead Fridrik's pours acrylic paint onto the canvas after manipulating colour and texture in large containers. Each painting captures elements from the artist's native country, Iceland, combining air, water, fire and earth in a dramatic fusion of beauty and elegance.
The natural elements of Fridrik's works will undeniably compliment Swiss artist Conrad Jon Godly's beautifully abstract landscapes. Godly's atmospheric oil paintings directly confront the viewer in a moment of quiet contemplation, exposing the observer to the icy winds blowing across his scenes of nature. The thick paint lends a powerful, 3D quality to the pieces, interacting with the light in the room and allowing gravity to pull the oil into sculptural forms.
A new addition to the JD Malat family, German artist Hans Kotter, will also be on display at the booth in September. Kotter's work focuses on the aesthetics and clarity of form, combined with his exploration of the interaction between light and its surrounding environment. For Kotter, his audience's engagement is a key element, allowing spectators to interact and manipulate the way they view his light art. The playful and sensual presence Kotter allows light to form creates a memorable experience of intrigue and anticipation.
We will be bringing our upcoming solo exhibitor, Robert Montgomery, to Contemporary Istanbul. Montgomery is a Scottish-born and London based artist who brings a poetic voice to the tradition of contemporary text art, and is renowned for his large, public light installations and distinctive black and white billboard artworks. In October 2019, we will be opening his solo show titled Shiny Colourful Things for the Walls of the Bourgeoisie, and are excited to give Contemporary Istanbul's visitors a taste of what's to come.
Our booth will incorporate L.A based abstract artist, Andy Moses. Moses's distinctive style is an abstract depiction of the natural landscape he grew up in, mimicking the vivid colours of America's west coast. The artist's work is formed around his research into the relationship between image-idea-process and the physical and chemical reactions of the materials, creating this fluidity in his artwork. Moses's beautifully composed masterpieces will mesmerise viewers with its hypnotic appearance.
We will be displaying Japanese artist Masayoshi Nojo's contemporary mixed-media works, embellished with silver foil that will glisten throughout the booth. Nojo's work is a combination of visual language with Japanese aesthetics, depicting the passage of time. He explores the concept of memory using a range of media including photography and silk screen-printing. He uses silver foil to add an essence of purity to the artworks, signifying the colour of time's passage.
Colombian artist, Santiago Parra, recognised for his highly expressive black and white paintings, will be exhibited in our booth. Parra's artistic objective is to achieve the creation of Automatic Paintings, authentically expressing himself in the moment and eliminating deliberation in favour of pure impulse. He sweeps his canvas with one bold brushstroke, exposing his subconscious in a dramatic and intrepid way, expanding our understanding of Abstract Expressionism.
Turkish artist, Hande Sekerciler's elegant, figurative sculptures will also be displayed. Her sculptures reject clothing, accessories and even hair to remove them from gendered and societal labels. Her works allow the viewer to build a narrative for themselves as they explore every angle of her sculptures. Her interest in technology and new production techniques helps her to mix classical forms with contemporary production methods. She uses state-of-the-art software and hardware during her productions.
We are delighted to display Norwegian artist Henrik Uldalen's beautifully distorted oil portraits which will be sure to captivate our visitors' gaze. Though a figurative painter, his focus has always been the emotional and metaphysical content rather than narratives, his works being self-portraits projected onto models. This visual stimulus is deeply ingrained into his production. The existentialist nature of his realist paintings appears like a breath of fresh air in a contemporary art world, leaving the viewer to build a narrative for themselves.
And finally, we will be displaying Turkish artist, Zümrütoğlu, at Contemporary Istanbul 2019. Recognised for his direct and honest views on current affairs, the artist's heavily impastoed canvases portray the anxieties of modern life. Zümrütoğlu's works are full of emotion and power, bringing a new dimension to the art world. Embracing his synaesthesia; the ability to see sound and hear colour - Zümrütoğlu uses this to bring to light the dark and menacing harmony of his oil paintings.
This selection highlights the strength and originality of JD Malat Gallery, and is sure to capture our visitors' eye. We are delighted to participate in Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair 2019 and look forward to sharing the talent of our artists with its audience.
