Inverse

In his previous solo exhibition held at Versus Art Project in 2014 titled ‘Everything In Its Place’, Aytekin had explored the concepts of the city and memory, through iconic monuments in Istanbul, including the Beşiktaş Barbaros Monument, Şişli Abide-i Hürriyet, and the Armenian Cemetery. 

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Throughout his upcoming exhibition at Versus Art Project, ‘Inverse’, the artist continues his tradition of using the image, and ways of abstraction and vision  to re-evaluate the archeologic meanings of the Turkish words, ‘face’, ‘surface,’resemblance’, ‘representation’, which translate to the Arabic words; ‘şekil’, ‘eşkal’, biçim’. 

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‘Inverse’ comes together with the artist creating over 200 shapes, by the pressing and printing of more than 40 different cut out template shapes on paper. Aytekin invites his viewer to explore the continuity of a series of shapes through a an approach based on form and symbolism, encouraging a school of thought of many possibitilies instead of the mere duplication of certain templates. Contrary to his previous exhibitions, Aytekin distances himself from the concept of a painting and creating the image himself,     instead transfers the surface mark of the object onto paper through the technique of serigraphy.  Such formal and symbolic approach is adopted by referring to the 20th century and the American abstract through the concepts of portrait, face, hilya and the icon.

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Can Aytekin, who we know with his variety of colors and with the dominance of colors in his works, this time presents a simplified color palette. The artist creates a series of prints by applying only the colors of red and green ink on the decks of wood, and is inspired by the symbolism and historical heritage of colors.