CATCH ha:ar IN LONDON!
The artist duo ha:ar (sculptor Hande Şekerciler and new media artist Arda Yalkın), whose works we’ve seen before at Contemporary Istanbul, are now meeting with art lovers with their new exhibition in London.
The exhibition will take place at JD Malat Gallery, one of the most prestigious galleries of London, between 13 January and 12 February 2021. Titled “Pulse: Electric Mannerism”, the new exhibition explores the intersection between plastic arts and new media technology.
The “Pulse: Electric Mannerism” series started its journey in Ankara and continued in Istanbul, within the scope of Contemporary Istanbul, after Venice and Milan. Now, it takes place with a wide selection at JD Malat Gallery (London), the gallery where the artists are also represented. As in their latest exhibitions, the works of ha:ar are accompanied by works from the sculpture series titled ecstasy by sculptor and new media artist Hande Şekerciler. Among the works of ha:ar that will be seen for the first time in the selection, there are light box works, NFTs and videos, the first example of which we saw at Contemporary Istanbul, while the new sculptures of Hande Şekerciler arouse curiosity.
ha:ar‘s work explores the great masters of the Renaissance and Baroque periods by associating them with a physical and virtual environment in a series of compositions that reinterpret the past. Suggesting a mannerist influence, each element of ha:ar‘s work is depicted in mystical poses, characterized by a dramatic bodily tension surrounded by clouds reminiscent of Baroque painting. The technology adopted by the artists does not intend to stand in front of the viewer or be the focal point of the aesthetic experience; rather, it helps to discover new meanings. Focusing on the conflict with the civilization created by humanity, the technology it produces and the way of existence, the artist duo’s exhibition includes works from the Impossible Sculptures series. Video work, the new part of the series, is also waiting to meet with the audience for the first time!
“How does reinterpreting the past through the lens of the present help us understand our own time? When we are faced with the loss of postmodernist reference points, we reconnect with our past to orient ourselves and transform our vision into a future that carries daily life to an increasingly widespread technological dimension.”
Dialogue with ha:ar‘s productions, Hande Şekerciler‘s sculptures explore the reflections of digital and tangible realities. Starting from a human figure that seems immersed in the echo of the Renaissance, the artist subverts the identity of the subjects and liberates them from the characterizing elements such as hair and clothing. Thus, the viewer gets the opportunity to see bodies anonymously, beyond any social structure.
Approaching social issues from the perspective of sculpture, the figures of Hande Şekerciler are inspired by Hellenistic and Renaissance artworks. The bronze sculptures, free from details such as clothing, hair, and gender, reflect contradictory and different moods. The artist’s approach that normalizes “difference” opens the doors of a utopian world through anonymous figures. Going beyond physical details and existence, she proposes to witness the moment, emotion and spirit.
The exhibition is also accompanied by a book containing images and special texts from the works of ha:ar and Hande Şekerciler. You can reach the 800-edition, special edition book very soon on the J.D.Malat Gallery and ha:ar websites.
