Selma Gürbüz
Long Night. Faraway Voyages.
5 January–9 February 2013
Rampa
Şair Nedim Caddesi No: 21a
34357 Akaretler Beşiktaş
Istanbul, Turkey
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 11–19
h
T +90 212 327 0800
F +90 212 327 0801
info [at] rampaistanbul.com
Selma Gürbüz meets viewers with her one-person exhibition at Rampa, Long Night. Faraway Voyages., on January 5 to February 9, 2013. The exhibition, composed of Gürbüz’s paintings, drawings, and sculptures realized in 2011–12, displays the visual mythologies of Gürbüz’s extensive art practice.
The works are a continuation of Gürbüz’s mysterious, magical world that we had seen in previous exhibitions. In these large-scale paintings and sculptures, Selma Gürbüz gives a voice to the images she has compiled from both real and dream voyages: the human figures are accompanied by animals and plants; inspiration from ancient Egyptian art, Chinese and Japanese painting traditions, Velazquez, Monet, Islamic miniatures and manuscripts can be traced in the works.
Gürbüz’s art is about images. These images are not purely painterly, but are rather enriched by poetry, fairy tales, and parables. Each painting has its own story; they are not born from stories, but rather have formed their own unique tales. As has been pointed out about Gürbüz’s work, “These paintings stem from a dream in the middle of the night, lit by a full-moon.”
Selma Gürbüz looks at themes derived from history, nature, the subconscious, and mythology—the human figures are quite often alone, displaying animal-like characteristics. This points to them being integrated into nature and that they are protected by nature. Their discomforts and pain express the artist’s own creative process.
Recently, figures are situated on the artist’s meticulously woven, dream-like landscapes, integrated as her palette transitions from black to soft hues of brown. Her characters are mysterious and poetic at the same time, inviting the viewer to interrogate and express their inner worlds. We remember what we have seen and on the other side, the reality is not out of our minds; it chases us. By displaying our fears, dreams, and anxieties, Gürbüz actually points to what exists through what is constructed. Perhaps this is why Gürbüz positions herself at the intersection of curiosity and magic.
To see the world within this other world, the viewer does not need glasses. Imagination is more than enough.
Selma Gürbüz
Selma Gürbüz (b. 1960) was born in Istanbul. After having studied at Exeter College of Art Design between 1980 and 1982, she graduated from Marmara University Fine Arts Faculty in 1984. Her recent solo exhibitions include Mind’s Eye, Lawrie Sahbibi Gallery, Dubai (2011); Shadows of Myself, Rose Issa Projects at Leighton House Museum, London (2011); Archetypes, Warehouse (Antrepo) No: 3, Istanbul (2010), Sunny Shadows, Gallery Apel, Istanbul (2008) and Makii Masaru Fine Arts, Tokyo (2007); Feline I, Galerie Maeght, Paris (2006); Feline II, Gallery Apel, Istanbul (2006); The Fairy and the Genie, Gallery Apel, Istanbul (2004), Yünname, Gallery Apel, Istanbul (2000) and Karaname, Gallery Apel, Istanbul (1999). Gürbüz has also participated in many national and international group exhibitions including From Traditional to Contemporary (2010), New Works, New Horizons (2009) and Modern Experiences (2008), Istanbul Modern, Istanbul; Cara a Cara (travelling show), with Marco Del Re, Galerie Maeght, Paris and Barcelona (2003); Fantaisies du Harem et les Nouvelles Shéhérazades (travelling show), Museum of Contemporary Art, Barcelona and Museum of Natural History, Lyon (2003); Le Cirque (travelling show), Gérard-Georges Lemaire, Editions Eric Koehler, Athenee-Theatre Louis Jouvet, Paris, Espace Mira Phalaina, Montreuil and Novomestka Radnice, Prague (1996). Her other projects include Shadow theatre design for ‘More Wind’, Portside Gallery, Yokohama (2005) and Futurist Stage Curtain Design, Revues Parlées, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (1996); Automatic Games, Kwangju Biennale, Korea (1995) and L’Orient des Cafés (travelling show), French Cultural Centre, Cairo, Alexandria, Athens, Thessaloniki, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv (1992). Selma Gürbüz lives and works in Istanbul.
Media Relations
For additional information, images or to request an interview please contact
Mr. Üstüngel İnanç
T +90 212 327 0800
uinanc [at] rampaistanbul.com
