Art On Istanbul is pleased to present Erman Özbaşaran’s first solo exhibition, “The Prospect of Hope”. The exhibition brings together works in which the artist conveys the human desire to create and destroy, echoing the cyclical nature of human existence, and depicts the resulting complexity and accumulation while exploring humanity’s relationship with objects, nature, history, and culture.
The exhibition features works created by the artist through individually drawing on cigarette papers with ink and color, which are then applied onto canvas, alongside works produced using various techniques on paper. “The Prospect of Hope” will be on view from May 6 to June 10, 2018, at Art On İstanbul’s Tepebaşı Hanifi Building.
In his works, Özbaşaran uses elements of miniatures such as stains, lines, discarded or decayed objects, ruined historical structures, architectural details, and ambiguous shapes. He creates a “plan-like” background, constructing textures that seem doomed to disappear. This process also produces deformation. Lead-colored tones dominate as the artist meticulously builds up layers. Dots, drips, and stains appear throughout, functioning as interventions that deliberately disrupt the composition.
Cigarette papers are arranged in meticulously placed layers, not as a statement but as a material. Dark tones, indicative of a somber mood, prevail; yet, on the canvas, thousands of cigarette papers form a cohesive structure under the artist’s hand.
Though the layers in his paintings suggest decay and deterioration, Özbaşaran invites viewers to maintain hope. In this exhibition, he constructs a symbolic battlefield, revealing the destruction behind a conflict zone. He arranges his paintings as if they were miniatures, with the seemingly chaotic points and warped structures representing traces left in the terrain after bombs and bullets.
As humans, we navigate life as part of nature, discovering and manipulating our surroundings. Özbaşaran’s works express an infinite desire to create and destroy, reflecting a cyclical impulse inherent to human existence. Through this process, he depicts both the complexity and accumulation generated by these actions.