Şafak Şule Kemancı is an interdisciplinary artist and educator based in Istanbul. In their recent works, Şafak imagines an erotic queer ecosystem where the boundaries between being plant, mineral, human or animal become fluid. The artist shapes this ecosystem through stretching the potentialities of the material. Belonging neither to a specific time nor a specific place, it invites the audience to travel between the artificial and the natural. This is a place where enthusiasm and exuberance are welcomed, and the movement is never exhausted.
In Şafak’s works, an intense effort makes an appearance right at the point where the consciousness flows and the mind exposes itself to a performative process. Repeating patterns, textures, figures, and pieces are fluently brought together. It is possible to associate this coming together of repetitions with the plants recurrently blooming in the queer ecosystem to which artist’s gaze has been turned for a long time.
Text by Fisun Yalçınkaya
Reviews.
English:
Selin Tamtekin, Exhibist, 2021
https://exhibist.com/i-wish-to-celebrate-our-existence-queer-feminist-artist-safak-sule-kemanci/
Project Encountered, 2021
https://www.projectencountered.com/#/blog9
Turkish:
Fatih Özgüven, Argonotlar, 2021
https://argonotlar.com/guller-ve-dudaklar-ve-dikenler/
Irmak Özer, Gazete Duvar, 2021
https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/sonsuz-ihtimaller-bahcesi-makale-1528784
Seçil Epik, Argonotlar, 2021
https://argonotlar.com/butun-kuslar-benim-bahceme-gelir/
Mehveş Ungan, Unlimited Rag, 2021
https://www.unlimitedrag.com/post/arzunun-desenleri
Marta Sömek, Ötekilerin Postası, 2021
https://www.otekileringundemi.com/kultur-sanat/butun-kuslar-benim-bahceme-gelir-h65706.html
Interviews.
Selin Tamtekin, 2021
https://t24.com.tr/haber/kuir-feminist-sanatci-safak-sule-kemanci-varolusumuzu-kutlamak-istiyorum,965211
Işgın Renkligül, Sendika.org, 2021
https://sendika.org/2021/07/bedenin-ve-cinselligin-sinirlarini-asan-ekoseksuel-bir-sergi-butun-kuslar-benim-bahceme-gelir-625739/
Edanur Tanış, Medyascope, 2021
https://medyascope.tv/2021/07/21/insansilar-ve-bitkilerle-yeni-bir-dunyanin-kapilarini-aralayan-butun-kuslar-benim-bahceme-gelir-sergisi-sanatseverlerle-bulustu/
Güliz Sağlam, Çatlak Zemin, 2021
https://catlakzemin.com/kuir-trans-feminist-arzuyu-kutlayan-sergi-butun-kuslar-benim-bahceme-gelir-safak-sule-kemanci-ile-soylesi/
Project Encountered, 2021
https://www.projectencountered.com/#/blog9
Bant Mag, 2021
https://bantmag.com/3-soruda-safak-sule-kemanci-ve-butun-kuslar-benim-bahceme-gelir-sergisi/
Ahmet Rüstem Ekici, Kaos GL, 2020
https://kaosgl.org/haber/safak-sule-kemanci-ve-queer-ekosistemi
Nil Has, Sanat Okur, 2020
https://sanatokur.com/soylesi-safak-sule-kemanci/
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2022 Reflections from the Women’s Archives, Depo, İstanbul.
2021 All the birds would come to my garden, Depo, İstanbul.
2021 Sauna Online Exhibition
2019 SINIR/SIZ ALAN, Kiraathane Istanbul Literature House, Istanbul.
2019 Artweeks Akaretler, artSümer, İstanbul.
2019 SINIR/SIZ ALAN, Kiraathane Istanbul Literature House, Istanbul.
2018 SINIR/SIZ, Kiraathane Istanbul Literature House, Istanbul.
2017 İki Soluk Arasında Dayanışma, Zapata, Istanbul.
2016 Artists Pick Artists, Art Sümer, Istanbul.
2016 Dream Pavillion, Tuyap Art Fair, Istanbul.
2016 Uykusuzlar Atlası, Halka Sanat/ Galeri, Istanbul.
2015 Timeline, Blok Art Space, Istanbul.
2015 Who Would Have Thought, Blok Art Space, Istanbul.
2015 Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair, Represented by Halka Sanat/Gallery, Istanbul.
2014 Who Would Have Thought, Hayaka Artı, Istanbul.
2013 Sana Saraylar Vadetmedim, Halka Art Project, Istanbul.
2013 Ikametkah Kadikoy, Kabine Nadire, Istanbul.
2012 The Best Revenge, San Francisco.
2011 Transgression, Beers. Lambert Project Space, London.
2010 None Fiction, Together Our Space Gallery, London.
2010 Public/Private, Gallery 302, London.
2010 Have Your Cake and Eat It, George Tavern.
2010 Hand Joy, Centre for Recent Drawings, London.
2008 Makul, Hafriyat Karaköy, Istanbul.
2008 Final year Art Practice exhibition, Goldsmiths University of London.
2008 Open as Usual, Goldsmiths University of London.
2007 First year Art Practice exhibition, Goldsmiths University of London.
2005 Young Portraits, Teşvikiye Sanat Galerisi, Istanbul.
2004 Group Show, Tuyap Art Fair, Istanbul.
2003 Eksik Olan?, Karşı Sanat Çalışmaları, Istanbul.
2003 Alternatif Espas, Hisart, Istanbul.
EDUCATION
2006-2008 Goldsmiths, University of London – MFA Art Practice.
1998-2001 Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design – BA (Hons) Textile Design.
1997-1998 Chelsea College of Art and Design – BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and design.