Kemal Seyhan, who continues his practice in Vienna and Istanbul, presents his recent works in the exhibition “Beklerken” (Vivid Dark of a Space) at Art On Istanbul’s new space in Şişhane. Curated by Dr. Necmi Sönmez, the exhibition brings together the artist’s multilayered works, developed with varied textures, forms, and monochrome colors, while remaining committed to the tradition of pure abstract painting.
Seyhan is known for his approach to visual experimentation without relying on expressionist, narrative, or descriptive elements. In his new works, he explores the textural qualities of painting, an essential component of the canvas, through varying paint densities. At first glance, the paintings appear abstract; yet, as the viewer explores the intricate clusters of dots, a sense of a third-dimensional depth emerges. According to the artist: “The controlled darkness of the studio at midnight, interrupted by light spilling from outside and the city’s hum, is the environment in which the paintings are created.”
The visual impact of the exhibition arises from the dark tones—primarily black, gray, and brown—combined with varied textures to form conceptual spaces. These spaces evoke landscapes and earthly formations reminiscent of the outer world while simultaneously referencing internal, organic processes underpinning the visual composition.
Kemal Seyhan
Seyhan completed his secondary education in Istanbul and studied Sociology at Boğaziçi University between 1978–1981 before moving to Vienna in 1982. He initially enrolled in Philosophy and Art History at the University of Vienna, later transferring in 1986 to the Universität für angewandte Kunst, where he pursued a comprehensive art education until 1996. The year 1990 marks a turning point in Seyhan’s practice. From that point onward, he devoted himself entirely to abstract painting, employing diverse techniques while consistently developing a visual language rooted in color, structure, and compositional elements within the realm of pure abstraction.
His most recent exhibition, “Beklerken”, features works from 2004—the year he opened his first studio in Istanbul—up to the present, demonstrating the maturity of his distinctive visual language and the strength of his compositional approach.