Resurrection

02.08.2023- 14.10.2023

Elgiz Museum İstanbul is exhibiting a new selection, titled Resurrection, starting on August 2st. In relation with the pandemic,  2020, the exhibition titled Broken Dreams was opened within the shadow of Thomas Struth's artwork titled Wuhan in the collection. As a cyclical part of Broken Dreams exhibition, Resurrection exhibition aims to transcend the destructive impacts and present future hopes through an artistic metamorphosis.

Life, a perpetual cycle, embodies the eternal dance of cessation and inception. In every fleeting moment, one existence fades away, giving birth to another. The novelties that emerge serve as heralds of hope, illuminating the path to uncharted possibilities. Humanity, entranced by this rhythmic cadence of life, surrenders itself to the profound interplay of transitions and rebirths.

The Resurrection  exhibition invites viewers to explore the meaning within this infinite cycle, to give new meaning to the ever-changing nature and existence of life from a fresh perspective, using the power of art to touch upon every aspect of rebirth and encouraging the audience to embark on their own journey of discovery. Accompanied by perspectives of artists from different geographies, the video of the Gustav Mahler's No 2 Resurrection, symphony will be shared evoking a sense of revival in the viewer's inner journey.

Within this selection, David Tremlett's artwork Drawings for a New Wall #2 creates a thought-provoking impact with its geometric forms, Bedri Baykam's Stephanie's Decision to Leave Us captivates with its composition, and Danielle Kwaaitaal's photograph Dione stirs emotions. Çerkes Karadağ's Ballerina highlights aesthetics and grace, while Mehmet Gün pulls the audience in with his abstract expressionist works. Mahmut Aydın's sculptures, The Hidden and Female Don Quixote, depict a world of bright dreams, leaving behind social negatives, and Alaeddin Aksoy's artwork The Ascension prompts us to contemplate ourselves and our future. Darren Almond's piece Full Moon at Petten greets us with its mysterious landscape reflection, while Alexander Liberman's  Black Curve reveals sharp geometric abstraction. Neriman Polat's artwork, with the impressive renewal of water, and Wolfgang Petrick's Scooter Attack emphasize accepted negatives within society. Hande Şekerciler's sculptures Deep in My Heart reflect our thoughts internalized in our hearts, while Esra Şatıroğlu's Figurative artwork inspires the audience. Devrim Erbil's Abstraction and Vibration creates thoughts about the process between the external world and ourselves, while Julian Opie's artwork Time aligns the purity he desires in his art with the idea of renewal. In Naci Balkan İslimyeli's Torment we witness that painting is the most beautiful tool to escape from our pains. Cindy Sherman's Untitled #117 incorporates readings on gender and identity, Ali İsmail Türemen's 1942 ceramics depict the freedom of blue, and Ergin İnan’s The Dance of the Detailed Details, all coming together in this exhibition. Volkan Kızıltunç's artwork The Unspectacular presents scenes related to observation, memory, and the fluidity of time, while Güngör Taner 's Fantasia and Compliment to the Sun concretize movement and emphasize the rhythm of natural forces. Chiharu Shiota's artwork Dress woven with threads provides guidance that transcends the constraints of space, objects, and the person within it. The combination of all these artworks internalizes the myth of rebirth.

The Resurrection exhibition, during times when we need both individual and societal renewal, communicates the metamorphosis in the cycle of life through art, initiating awareness with the therapeutic effect of art. This exhibition brings forth the hidden beauties within us, redesigns our perspective on life, and reminds us of the existence of beauty.

Photo credit: Esra Mengülerek