Esra Gülmen (* 1986, Istanbul) is a Berlin-based artist from Turkey.
As a genuine witness and observer of her zeitgeist, Esra Gülmen generates contemporary iconography of the here and now in response to visual culture, and the present, while, concerning the past, she uses a form and creative language all her own. She develops a playful, ironic practice by carving out and revealing the "embedded notions" of social codes, the human condition, our inner voice and, needless to say, our insights and daily obsessions. Intending to torpedo the ideal in contemporary art, such as irony and parody, her gestures move between fields, at times travelling along the boundaries of sculpture and painting.
Gülmen's language of artistic expression addresses the viewer at eye level. Consequently, the "sublimity of painting" loses relevance in her works. Text, image or form operate democratically as intermediaries of her works, depending on the context. This attitude of hers can be regarded as the rawest reflection of the changing moods of modern humans, going beyond the impeccable and the ideal, moving closer to "the real." Seeking to render what can be known into something more perceivable, by making the image more visual, or text more comprehensible, Gülmen illustrates possible states of being outside "the great show." Challenging oppressive forms, the fetishism of meaning, and the burden of references, she calls us to revisit our questions concerning the raison d'être of art.
1986 Born in Kadiköy, Istanbul
2004-2005 Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Literature, American Culture and Literature, İzmir
2005-2009 Marmara University Faculty of Fine Arts, Bachelor’s Degree, Interior Architecture, İstanbul
2008-2009 Università degli Studi di Genova, Erasmus Exchange Program, Design Department, Genova
2009-... Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts, Master's Degree, İstanbul
2009-2012 Marmara University Faculty of Fine Arts, Research Assistant, Interior Architecture, ,İstanbul
Upcoming Shows
2024 ”Interactions 2024” Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn
“For Everyone! Redesigning Democracy”, Bonn, Bundeskunsthalle
Museum Shows
2024 ”I WAS I AM” Solo show, OK Linz, Center for Contemporary Art, Linz
Solo Shows
2022 “Don’t Play With My Emotions”, Pilevneli Gallery, Istanbul 2021 “Rrrrivers”, Bilsart, Istanbul
“Modern Feast” Pilevneli Project x Lucca, Istanbul
2019 "Don't I look Turkish?", BOLD, Berlin
2018 "It's just OK.’, XH Cube x Markenfilm Crossing, Hamburg
2017 "Thirteen", Cafe Struik, Amsterdam
Group Shows
2024 "Liaison", Better Go South, Stuttgart
Group Show, Galerie Judith Andreae, Bonn
“DRAWINGS” HVW8 Gallery, Berlin 2023 Dubai Art Fair, Pilevneli Gallery, Dubai
Artworks at Akaretler, 7th Edition, Istanbul Time is: Love, Kethüda Hamamı, İstanbul Expanded.art, Berlin
2022 Pilevneli Yalikavak, Bodrum
Karma for Kabul, Vienna
Artworks at Akaretler, 6th Edition, Istanbul MISA Pop-Up, Berlin
2021 MISA Van Ham Kunst Halle, Cologne
“Where are we now?” HVW8 Gallery, Berlin
MISA #3 (misa.art), König Gallery, Berlin
Artworks at Akaretler, 5th Edition, Istanbul
Contemporary Istanbul 16th edition, Pilevneli X König Gallery, Istanbul Pilevneli X König | Kaplankaya, Bodrum
Pictoplasma Group Show, Silent Green, Berlin
”Presentation Room - I” Pilevneli Gallery, Istanbul
2017 ”Design talks Politics”, Designxport, Hamburg
“Poptales”, Gallery Fata Morgana, Berlin
2016 ”All-Stars” Pictoplasma, Urban Spree, Berlin
Commission Work Projects
2023 MeyaMeya Project, Public art installation, Kobe, Japan
2022 Esravaganza World, Installation, Potsdamer Platz Berlin
Speaker
2023 WLGD Copenhagen
Forward Festival Berlin
2022 the Loeries Cape Town
OFFF Barcelona
Forward Festival Vienna
LIA London (virtual)
Forward Festival Berlin
Pictoplasma Festival Berlin
2020 Forward Festival Hamburg
Juries
2022 The Loeries Design Category, Jury President
2021 Cannes Lions Design Category
2020 One Show Design Category
Eurobest Design Category
ADC Germany Design Category
2019 ADC Germany Design Category
2018 One Show/ADC Global Illustration Category
ADC Germany Design Categor
2017 ADC Germany Design Category
Nominations
2015/2016 Selected to 200 Best Illustrators Worldwide Lürzer's Archive
2013/2014 Selected to 200 Best Illustrators Worldwide Lürzer's Archive
2011/2012 Selected to 200 Best Illustrators Worldwide Lürzer's Archive