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This surreal artwork features a striking visual composition. The central element is a circular frame that contains a door-like structure, suggesting an entryway or portal. The frame is surrounded by a mottled, ethereal background of swirling grays and whites, evoking a sense of atmospheric mystery. Within the frame, the door is flanked by stylized floral elements in vibrant orange and purple hues, adding a touch of organic symbolism. The artist's use of contrasting colors, textures, and geometric shapes creates a captivating, dreamlike quality that invites the viewer to consider the deeper meaning and intent behind this visually striking contemporary piece. ...
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Elif Saydam creates alluring, multi-layered canvases which host elements of both ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture. Saydam begins each piece by collecting materials and photographs gathered in both public and private space. An image of a municipal building for example might act as an atmospheric layer for the artist to build upon. The detritus of our daily lives such as chocolate wrappers or cigarette papers are then embedded with highly valued materials such as 23-carat gold and oil paints, creating tableaux which lay bare the biases and privileges which govern late capitalist society. Each piece is laden with religious symbols, gestural markings and art historical references. Drawing on their own Turkish heritage, the artist cites the influence of miniature Ottoman painting in particular as a crucial aesthetic pull. In Saydam’s own words, they are interested in ‘weaponizing the decorative’. They’re eager to unpack why illustrious, grand details within classical painting are culturally revered for example, whilst ornate packaging on sweets is considered tacky or kitsch. With an interest in uncovering the construction of beauty, Saydam creates sensorially rich works which urge viewers to reconsider their own understandings of beauty. ...
Franz Kaka was founded in 2016 as an artist-led gallery, presenting exhibitions that privileged experimentation and risk-taking. In 2019, the gallery began formally representing a number of the artists who had previously exhibited, including Lotus L. Kang, HaeAhn Paul Kwon Kajander, Anne Low, and Elif Saydam. In the years since, the gallery has expanded its international reach through gallery collaborations and art fair participations, including presentations at Art Basel, Frieze London, and the Armory Show. Known for presenting materially curious and conceptually complex exhibitions, the gallery champions nuanced practices that transform and deepen through sustained engagement, fostering dynamic conversations with audiences in Toronto and abroad. ...