Istanbul-based visual artist Jochen Proehl's exhibition "Pontos," displayed at the iconic National Reassurance (Milli Re) building, seeks the boundaries of the soil under water.
As in his previous works, Proehl displays the tangible asset of the space in his "Pontos" series. Within that frame, every living organism, such as a plant, animal or human being, can be encountered in his works. These contemplations can point to the beginning and end of time, encompassing all timelines.
In Greek mythology, Pontos (Sea) is one of the three children of Gaia (Earth). Proehl's art, which transitions from Gaia to Pontos, explores the formation moment of the universe and symbolically records it.
Most of the exhibition's photographs were taken using a camera obscura. Proehl employs a simple cardboard box with a pinhole and an analog film inside instead of a lens. This camera obscura provides source material for image processing and transforms landscapes into underwater scenes. In addition, the exhibition includes 19 C-Print photographs laminated on Alu-Dibond, most in a large format.
Jochen Proehl previously displayed his works at the Milli Re Art Gallery in 2005 with his "World of Landscape" exhibition. Eighteen years later, he returned to the same space with "Pontos."
According to Proehl, the "Pontos" series photographs are not about specific images or moments but rather about very long periods, capturing the entire time of the world like long exposures. Ultimately, the images aim to create a world before and after civilization.
Proehl grew up in Istanbul in the 1970s and later studied painting at the Universitat der Künste Berlin (then HdK). Since 2010, he has lived and worked in Istanbul and lectured at several universities, including Marmara University, Işık University and Okan University. In addition, he has been a faculty member at Istanbul Bahçeşehir University's Faculty of Communication since 2013.
Proehl's photography and painting works have been exhibited in solo and group European exhibitions, including in Germany and Türkiye. He recently held an exhibition titled "All the Time in the World" at the Rosenhang Museum in Weilburg, Germany, after two shows named "Urban Anatomies" and "45s: Aegean Memories" at the C.A.M Gallery between 2020-2022.
The "Pontos" exhibition can be visited until March 11. The show also features a book, including an exhibition text by Nusret Polat.