Artilade Plus- Minus 2020

Some of my works from the series In the Times of Corona have been selected for Artilade Plus Minus 2020 online exhibiton, an exhibition about our experiences on lockdown. The show will be online between 1 June-31 July.

Baysan Yüksel graduated from İstanbul Bilgi University Department of Sociology with a minor degree in Cinema and Television, and completed her master’s degree in Painting at Marmara University in 2010. She has exhibited her work in Turkey and abroad, in cities such as New York, Bristol, Amsterdam, Berlin and Barcelona. She currently lives and works in Istanbul.

Storytelling is the fundamental language of her works. They often refer to dreaming and universal symbols, pointing to the collective subconscious. Snake, octopus and fish are recent symbols. She prefers the concept of water since it symbolizes both the beginning and the essence of life.

“The first part of the lockdown, from March to July, was very difficult…Along those 4 months I tried to hold on to making art and the creative process itself. Once again I experienced the healing power of making art. At the end of this period I prepared an online show in our garden with the works I have created.”

About the Exhibition:

“Created by Artilade Magazine. With events popping-up throughout opening day on Tuesday, June 1 (next week). All on an IG account. So follow us there to have fine art grace your feed all day.Works will stay up through the months of June and July, and then poof they’re gone.
Just like a gallery exhibition, that you can visit in your pijamas all day, errday (for two months).
More pop-up events will take place during the month so follow on IG to follow along with the show. We will be adding more artwork and posts about the artists while the show is up.Oh, and make sure you “visit” that account during the all-day “Virtual Opening Reception” on Tuesday and sign the guestbook, leave a note for the artists, share a glass of distance wine, maybe some digital art cheese and get your fix for that art opening feel you’ve been missing…but online”

Show Me a Sign

COVER ILLUSTRATION FOR TURKISH EDITION OF SHOW ME A SIGN BY ANN CLARE LEZOTTE

Diyalog

Kaos GL dergisinin Ocak ayındaki Diyalog sayısı için umum sayfası benden…

Blank

My work Meadows in the online exhibition Blank organized by Seagery Zine.

3 Women 3 Paths

Five of my works were exhibited in the Art Fair Step Istanbul between 16-30 November as part of the exhibition Three Women Three Paths by Halka Art Project.

“As an initiative open to diverse artistic views, halka sanat projesi supports authentic work and individual, poetic voices. Within the scope of STEP 2020 Contemporary Art Fair halka presents works by Baysan Yüksel, Belkıs Taşkeser and Sevda Bad.
Since its initiation the inclusion of women in halka as well as their representation has been an uncalculated, spontaneous fact.
Far from being a sexist perspective, this is the result of genuine engagement of similar souls who can act together, be part of each other’s process, by taking different roles and give support to each other. This engagement is blended with a completing male energy and creates the authentic halka spirit.
Now this structure brings together three artists who are at different stages in their practice under the title of “Three Women Three Paths”. Baysan Yüksel, Belkıs Taşkeser and Sevda Bad’s common denominator is not being female artists as one can easily be mistaken. It is their creative universe, passion towards their profession and their deep sensibilities in experiencing their environment and responses to life. Their natural mode of building and holding relations which fall near the spirit of halka is also a complementary reason behind the invitation to exhibit together.
As a child Belkıs was interested in drawing and she restarted it in the 1970s. She has exhibited in Paris, İstanbul, Ankara and San Francisco. During the years she lived in Paris, her works have been accepted to La Maison des Artistes. Instead of following the contemporary art movements she prefers to take inspiration from the living cultures and creates works nourished by diverse ethnographic roots which she molds with an innate, intrinsic knowledge.
Baysan creates works in various media such as drawing, painting, collage, artist books and movies. In her work, she investigates the routines of daily life, beliefs, traditions and consumption sometimes in a magical reality sometimes in a world that she creates with atypical elements. In her world natural elements and animal symbols that repeat are often present in metaphorical forms.
The youngest among three in her artistic journey, Sevda who is molded with halka’s dough is devoted to drawing. As an artist she also comes from an art management background. Her main focus is individual human stories around which she creates an environment and an atmosphere. In Sevda’s hand colour, texture and material grow with experiment and discovery.
With the selection “Three Women Three Paths” halka sanat projesi keeps the promise of its manifesto and “enlarges by taking within and becomes halka (circle) with its content.”
The selection is open to view between 16-30 November 2020 during the STEP Istanbul Contemporary Art Fair and during the following week at Tomtom Kaptan Sokak No: 1 Beyoğlu, an independent venue hosted by Tomtom Kırmızı.” by Halka Art Project.

Rakılı Ajanda

Benim de bir çizgi öykü ile yer aldığım Bantmag ve Anason İşleri işbirliği ile yayınlanan 2021 Ajandası satışta. Bu linkten sipariş verebilirsiniz. 2020’den daha ferah bir 2021 dileği ile…

And Then: Online Exhibition

My works “The World Is Here” is selected for Chicago based Agitator Gallery‘s October Group Show : And Then. You can visit the show online. And the book of the exhibition is published.

“AND THEN is a storytelling exhibit curated by Agitator member Gretchen Hasse that shares our visions of what lies beyond our current state. What do you hope for? What do you fear? What kind of world do you want? What do you think it will take to get there? Join us to find out on Saturday, October 17, 2020!”

Illustration Workshop: Finding Your Own Voice

We designed a workshop on experimental drawing with award winning illustrator Merve Erbilgiç. Our first workshop was last weekend. We had a great time. Also we draw with the participants.

For now the workshop is only in Turkish but we are considering an English one for the future. You can follow me here for future news.

Here is a video of me working with experimental drawing techniques.

And some ink drawings from the workshop.

A Studio

 “A Studio” is a small exhibition of the works I produced in my studio where I spent most of my time during the 3-month quarantine from April through June. You can view the works from here

Free Diving

Experimental Paintings painted with flow within two weeks, January 2020.

The making of video is ready now. Also you can check out the paintings here.