Ben Bienal Sanatçısı Değilim by Ardan Özmenoğlu
Two of the works that Ardan Özmenoğlu feels the need to confront or come to terms with in his artistic production spanning from the early 2000s to the present day are The Turtle Trainer and Mona Lisa. The discussions surrounding the local art market revolving around one, and the art historical aura constructed around the playful smile of the other, seem to have permeated the concepts Özmenoğlu grapples with in his work. The uniqueness of the artwork, its self-evident "value," its marketability are among the fundamental concerns the artist constantly refers to in his practice. In his works, which subject the market value of art to a kind of experiment with the canvas that declares "definitely not made for museums" or the attractive red neon work that repeats the cliché "Sex Sells," local cultural signs, words, and reminders are juxtaposed with references to global consumption, habits, and a wider geography; The content and materials engage in a dialogue through a playful method. Özmenoğlu, while referencing art history, employs commonly used materials and techniques of today in his own unique ways, charting his own path as an original artist. This book promises the reader a "guided tour" around the thematic and conceptual lines within the artist's production between 2006 and 2012, the period from his student days to his own studio. The Tortoise Trainer and Mona Lisa are two works that Ardan Özmenoğlu has felt the need to encounter or come to terms with in his artistic production since the early 2000s. The discussions about the local art market revolving around one of them and the art historical aura built around the mischievous smile of the other seem to have permeated the concepts Özmenoğlu deals with in his production. The uniqueness of the work of art, its intrinsic “value”, its tradability are among the main concerns that the artist constantly refers to in her practice. In the works of the artist, who subjects the market value of art to a kind of experiment with the canvas declaring that it is “definitely not made for museums” or the attractive red neon work repeating the cliché “Sex Sells”, local cultural signs, words and reminders are juxtaposed with references to global consumption, habits and a wider geography; content and material enter into dialogue in a playful way.
While referencing the history of art, Özmenoğlu draws her own path as an original artist by employing today's widely used materials and techniques in her own unique ways. This book promises the reader a “guided tour” around the thematic and conceptual lines of the artist's production between 2006 and 2012, when she moved from being a student to her own studio.
