23k gold, inkjet transfer oil and linen and dishclothFranz Kaka
Description
Human-crafted. AI-refined.
This artwork is a vibrant and visually captivating collage. The composition features a harmonious blend of bold colors, intricate floral patterns, and geometric shapes. The subject matter combines natural elements, such as lush peonies and delicate butterflies, with abstract and textural components. The artist employs a distinctive mixed-media technique, incorporating various materials like fabric, paper, and paint to create a layered and dynamic surface. The overall style reflects a contemporary sensibility, blending elements of surrealism and expressionism to convey a sense of beauty, movement, and imagination. This piece likely explores themes of nature, memory, and the intersection of the tangible and the ephemeral. ...
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 Each piece is laden with religious symbols, gestural markings and art historical references.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. ...
