“The themes of my work are usually abstract
landscapes of the subconscious. ” – Melek Mazıcı
Colours on White is Melek Mazıcı’s seventh solo exhibition at Galeri Nev Istanbul.
Residing and working in Helsinki, Mazıcı’s choice of color and print techniques prevalent since her first exhibition encapsulate the aura of simplicity and tranquility. An interpretation of the soothing Scandinavian landscapes oozes out of her works. In this exhibition the artist examines the inclusionary and complementary characteristics of the color white.
Mazıcı explains her awe with the color white as the following: “In my opinion the color white is the source of light and therefore, an integral part of painting stabilizing the balance required in art.” Her works do not feature natural light and the luminous component in her paintings is achieved through various sources. The flowing colors touch upon each other forming layers and yielding in her works a naturally acquired depth.
After a break of 35 years, most of the works featured in the exhibition have been produced in her studio in Istanbul. The composition of colors on the canvases, the dialogue between them and their layout in the gallery space are a documentation and research on the limits of the color white.
Accompanying the exhibition is a book with texts in Finnish, Turkish and English. Featuring works prior to her 2016 exhibition the book has three narratives: a discussion on the meaning of white by Finnish philosophers Eero Ojanen; a piece on Mazıcı’s works by art critic Otso Kantokorpi and an article in Mazıcı’s own words explaining her relationship with art. Melek Mazıcı’s book Transparency of her 2014 exhibition was awarded the by the Finnish Books of the Year.
