Selma Gurbuz

Turkish artist Selma Gurbuz uses ink to illustrate themes from mythology, history, and nature in an imaginative and personal way, often on homemade paper or canvas. Her works disregard depth and shadow and integrate her own subconscious narrative into figurative compositions on monochromatic backgrounds, reminiscent of cave drawings or Matisse’s cut-outs. Repeated lines and dashes sculpt the rolling waves of the sea or the dense feather of a rooster. Her color palate began with black and expanded to include subtle tonal shifts in brown and ochre, underscoring the meditative and contemplative quality of these works. Her works are inspired by historical Turkish styles including Ottoman Chintamani motifs, Persian-style patterning, and the integration of animals to consider the collective fear and anxiety of the unknown. Interconnectivity, be it between man and animal, movement and stillness, is at the core of her practice.

Gurbuz has exhibited at institutions including Istanbul Modern, Turkey, Museum of Contemporary Art, Barcelona, Museum of Natural History, Lyon, Swedish Cultural Institute, Stockholm, Musee des Beaux-Arts, Caen, France, and Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, among others. The artist has participated in the Gwangju Biennale in 1995 and the Biennial of Istanbul in 1989.