Artist has contemporary take on antique sculptures


Featuring the works of Genco Gülan, Galeri KHAS of Kadir Has University will host a sculpture exhibition between April 13 and July 13.Curated by Professor Hasan Bülent Kahraman, the striking "An Antique Future" exhibition will showcase the latest works by Gülan. All the works have an archeological theme, but are brought together in a different context and content by the artist.In a world first, Gülan will put his antique-themed robot sculptures that can move autonomously on display."These works are not ideals transformed into reality rather they are blends of ideals and the idea of works of art, within the art pieces itself," Kahraman said."Thus, Gülan creates for himself an artistic platform, extending from cubism to pop art while also covering Kant's esthetics. I also want to emphasize on the fact that antiquity has always been a side related to the future, in terms of daring and crucial works," he added.While interpreting antique sculptures that have mostly been excavated in Anatolia, Gülan, one of the leading representatives of contemporary art, sets off from the author Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, known as the "Halicarnassus Fishermen."He adds parts from real people or molded from original objects to the sculptures as we observe Hermes, Poseidon and Zeus as mutants or as droids, while exploring the revolution of today's humanity in the future.Works from "Antique Plastic and Tomorrow's Archeology," a previous exhibition, will also be displayed at "An Antique Future," which was earlier exhibited at Cer Modern, ENKA schools, Galeri Artist Berlin, Piramid Sanat and İzmir Painting and Sculpture Museum.Some of the works have also made it into the collections of the Thessaloniki Modern Art Museum and the Istanbul Modern Museum.Gülan was a member of the team that won 2005 EMAF award for his installations with robots. He was selected as the finalist of Sovereign European Arts Awards in 2011 and won the 2015 Ege Art Master Artist awards.