BRAVE NEW WORLD, ANEW

Aldous Huxley’s famous dystopian novel Brave New World describes a society under the rule of a central authority. In this story, the public is presented with a utopia through various social engineering operations and the mind-altering pill soma*; while the concepts of family, privacy, cultural diversity, and fine arts are erased by wars and poverty.

Much like the novel, the “Brave New World, Anew” exhibition at Evin Art Gallery is an effort to preserve fine arts that are often sacrificed in real life. But, unlike the story, it is essential to include art in our lives despite the challenges. We met curator Osman Nuri İyem on the opening day of the exhibition. He represents the young generation of the gallery; managing with principles that integrate the power of tradition and innovation to remain at the forefront of the changing times. According to İyem, real art has the desire to understand and make sense of things and consistently takes initiative in this regard. Art does not take the easy way out because artists feel a responsibility. With these considerations, İyem explains his mission of pointing out Evin Art Gallery’s direction while also exhibiting the consistency in the progressive evolution of the artists and that of the gallery.

The collective exhibition “Brave New World, Anew” brings together the works of artists the gallery has collaborated with for many years and nurtured new partnerships; Rahmi Aksungur, Setenay Alpsoy, Tuğçe Arıöz, Ahmet Elhan, Neş’e Erdok, Kader Genç, Hakan Gürsoytrak, Nasip İyem, Nuri İyem, Işıl Şimşek, Temür Köran, Emin Turan and Devin Oktar Yalkın. Early and recent works of the artists have been included in the exhibition to provide a clear overview of their progress and consistency in discourse.

The gallery’s oldest artist Nuri İyem and the youngest Işıl Şimşek welcome us at the exhibition. Their works are displayed side by side. There is so much to take in. The structural relationship between one of Nuri İyem’s early period works and art student Işıl Şimşek’s sculpture, Emin Turan’s nudes created with layers of vibrant colors, Setenay Alpsoy’s images reflecting on the windows of her buildings that pierce their frames, Tuğçe Arıöz’s AI-assisted work on exposing social and political violence are only some.

“Brave New World, Anew” is open at Evin Art Gallery until 29 April 2023.

*Soma is the fictional social happiness pill with minimum side effects mentioned in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World.