Contemporary Istanbul 2011

November 24 - 27, 2011 Back to Exhibitions

Kezban Arca Batibeki
Hairy Tale, 2011
mixed media, embroidery and collage on canvas
79 x 118 in / 200 x 300 cm
Kezban Arca Batibeki
Hairy Tale, 2011
mixed media, embroidery and collage on canvas
79 x 118 in / 200 x 300 cm

Press Release

Contemporary Istanbul 2011


November 24 - 27, 2011
Leila Heller Gallery will debut new mixed media paintings by Turkish artist Kezban Arca Batibeki, a large-scale sculpture by Turkish artist Osman Akan, and a video work by Nigerian artist Iké Udé at the sixth edition of the Contemporary Istanbul art fair.

Batibeki's new paintings are a thematic continuation of her Pulp Fiction series. Batibeki delves back into her fantasy world of drama, danger, mystery and suspense where women--villainous and heroic--take center stage. Batibeki employs her signature bold designs complimented by kitsch materials to draw the viewer in and make this world come to life. Iké Udé's video, The Enigma of Arrival, features a couple taking a leisurly stroll in the park. The couple starts at a distance, slowly approaching the camera, while the viewer waits for the couple's identity to be revealed. Osman Akan's work, Untitled, is a sculptural installation of stainless steel, glass and dichromatic filters. A spectacular reflector of light, Untitled, such as so many of Akan's works, merges technology and natural conditions so that the man-made and nature are presented in ways before unseen.