KARMACOMA

Anna Laudel Bodrum

'KarmaComa' is a captivating group exhibition curated by Ayça Okay, offering an engaging exploration of Turkish television's melodramatic world. From daytime broadcasts to seasonal soap operas, 'KarmaComa' weaves together provocative, sometimes even satirical references to every emotional moment, alluring audiences with its surprising narrative.

The exhibition, featuring an innovative lineup of artists, including Cem A., Serdar Acar, Ece Ağırtmış, Ateş Alpar, Ronit Baranga, Kerem Ozan Bayraktar, Isabella Chydenius, Ebru Döşekçi, Alicia Framis, Ece Haskan, Berka Beste Kopuz, Mert Ege Köse, Alican Leblebici, Adriana Ramić, Sally von Rosen, Hoda Tawakol, Koray Tokdemir, Metehan Törer, Nathalie Rey and Nevet Yitzhak, will be on display until 3 September 2023 at ZAI Yaşam.

Surrounded by colourful bougainvilleas, sea salt, and gentle breezes, 'KarmaComa' invites everyone to experience the enchanting beauty of Bodrum from a dystopian perspective, while exploring new fictional paths that utilises the concept of melodrama to depict and evaluate the economical and cultural intricacies of modern Turkey.

Influenced by avant-garde theatre and the Bauhaus opera movement , 'KarmaComa' offers a unique curatorial approach. Drawing from a variety of artistic movements, 'KarmaComa' presents a novel and unexpected commentary  on current issues and subjects.

Pushing the boundaries of the contemporary art scene in Bodrum, 'KarmaComa' is a potpourri of masks, toys, stage decorations, internet memes, traditional weavings of animated images and cutting-edge digital technologies, even capable of generating visuals readable by artificial intelligence. Across a wide range of media, the exhibition can be read as a commentary on the melodramatic world of Turkish television programming.

In today's world, where humanity is continuously experiencing wars, crises, and natural calamities, holding on to hope becomes increasingly challenging. 'KarmaComa' emanates human-centeredness and conceptual storytelling, aiming to transcend the chaos and explore creative solutions.

Curated by Ayça Okay, the exhibition brings together artworks from 20 artists from Turkey and abroad, focusing on a curatorial philosophy of investigating social issues by reflecting the current status quo and offering solutions to existing challenges. 'KarmaComa' brings out the secret side of the melodrama culture and creates a new and surprising narrative throughout the exhibition.

1st August, 2023 Visual Art | Paintings

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