KarmaComa

Curated by Ayça Okay
July 29 – September 3, 2023
Bodrum

Anna Laudel Bodrum continues its diverse exhibition program during the summer season with “KarmaComa“, a group exhibition curated by Ayca Okay. Across a wide range of media the exhibition can be read as a commentary on the melodramatic world of Turkish television programming. From daytime broadcasts to seasonal soap operas, “KarmaComa” weaves together provocative, sometimes even satirical references to the emotions suscitated by the parallel world depicted on the screen, thereby creating a new and surprising narrative throughout the exhibition.

A wide range of artworks are included in the exhibition, such as works by 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 September 3rd 2023 at ZAI Yaşam.

Surrounded by colourful bougainvilleas, sea salt, and a gentle breeze, “KarmaComa” invites visitors to experience the enchanting beauty of Bodrum from a dystopian perspective, while exploring new narratives through the lense 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, capable of generating visuals readable by artificial intelligence.

In today’s world, where humanity is continuously exposed to wars, crisis, and natural calamities, holding on to the hope for better days 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.

Promising an inspirational experience for art enthusiasts, “KarmaComa” can be seen at Anna Laudel Bodrum until 3 September 2023.