Zeynep Kayan

Zeynep Kayan (1986, Ankara) graduated from Communication and Design Department of Bilkent University and got her MA degree in Fine Arts Department of MaHKU in Utrecht, Netherlands. She was the co-founder of independent art space “Torun” in Ankara.

Zeynep Kayan’s artistic practice focuses on exploring repetitious structural setup of the variations she create by using photography, video and sound pieces that are mostly in relation to portraiture and performance. Through experimentation and chance, the artist articulates a personal vocabulary of the "self", or on the "human condition", but rather seem to escape categorization. Using the image itself as material, Kayan chooses to define her works as experiments on the construction of an image through means of deconstruction that are mostly the result of her actions of going back to her own archive, "(re)creating 'new' from the 'old'". She aims not to let the imagery stay in one and only state and searhes for ways to manifest this process that is inspired by movement, change and repetitive act of production.

Her solo shows: Temporary Sameness (Zilberman Gallery, Istanbul, 2019), Constructed (Zilberman Gallery, 2016) and Uncomplete (Zilberman Gallery, 2013). Selected group shows and collaborations: Concealed (Kasa Gallery, Istanbul, 2018); Until Finding the Source of the Water (performance with Özgür Atlagan, Salt Galata, 2018); The Library (tete, Berlin, 2017); NevGeneration: Amusement Park (Galeri Nev Ankara, 2015); Untitled Original lecture performance (Field Meeting,2015, ACAW, New York, 2015); Pull the Rope We’re Downstairs (with Burcu Bilgiç, Torun, Ankara, 2014); Joyful Wisdom (Rezan Has Museum, 2013); Offside Effect, 1st Tbilisi Triennial (Center of Contemporary Art, Tbilisi, 2012); Uncanny Encounters (Istanbul Modern, 2011). She won the second prize for her "Untitled" dummy book at Kassel Dummy Book Awards in 2017. This book got published by Akinabooks and launched at Unseen Amsterdam 2018.

Kayan lives and works in Ankara/İstanbul.