26 Sep 2014

Eda Soylu at BAP // Istanbul

The solo exhibition of Eda Soylu at BAP // Istanbul, 'Not being forgotten, how strange!' brings works together that have never been exhibited in Istanbul before.

Soylu creates a world from her own experiences, from things she witnessed, places she visited, and poems she re-reads /remembers. Following the traces of destruction that happen in various ways along with the effects and scars of oppression and slaughter, this world is created by the works that are being marked admirably out of the destroyed. The contrast, which is applied delicately but is yet rough through the choice and use of the material triggers a graceful touch to human spirit. Yet, the works constitute subtle and catchy forms that touch one´s heart with sorrow.

Rather than sharp divisions, chronological or thematic classifications, the exhibition is built with an approach that suggests her artistic methodology.

Taken from the artist's notes, the exhibition is titled as a reference to Metin Altok's (1940-1993) 'Sonnets' in order to point out her relation to literature, especially to Turkish poetry.

The worldly matters, my dear
are not being forgotten, how strange!
Even when I am making love to you on a mattress
I am thinking of sad young mothers
Carrying a bag in bazaars, in markets

The exhibition at BAP// ISTANBUL reminds of the artists' studio through the spatial compositions she creates with the use of untraditional ready materials such as coffee, concrete, flowers, plasters etc. Composed with site-specific works such as sculpture, installation and found material, the exhibition is both biographical and world-embracing.

Eda Soylu (d. 1990, İstanbul)
Graduated from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD'13) with Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting Department, she continued her education in Rome, 2012, with European Honors Program. The artist has attended summer schools both in Sorbonne University and London School of Arts (Central Saint Martins), has had group shows in US and Italy. She currently works in Istanbul.