RGB Glasses (Black and White)
Burhan Kum
Burhan Kum attended The Istanbul Technical University between 1981-83 he terminated his education with his decision to move to Holland. He graduated from The Den Bosch Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 1989 and he opened his own studio in Amsterdam, Holland. After participating in a number of group exhibitions in Holland, he had his first solo exhibition in 1992 Baku, Azerbaijan. He moved back to Turkey in 1995 with his family and has been actively working and exhibiting since then. From the early 2000’s he has had numerous solo exhibitions in Istanbul.
"Resmen" (Karşı Sanat, 2004), “Suret” (x-ist, 2005), "Korku versus Korku" (x-ist, 2006), Contemporary Istanbul 06, 07 and 09, "Possibilities, Perceptions and Speculations on Istanbul" (Istanbul, 2008), "Made in Turkey" group show (Frankfurt, 2008), "And...But...Or" (Karşı Sanat, İstanbul, 2008), Art Asia 2008 (Miami, 2008) and the Sotheby's 2009, Contemporary Turkish Art Auction, Art HK'11, Scope Basel (Basel, 2011), Art Beat'11 (Istanbul, 2011), Contemporary Istanbul'11,'12,'13,'14.
The works of Burhan Kum have aroused much interest in the art-world with his series of exhibits dealing with internal conflicts in society, focusing on such topics as, visage as a surrogate public facade, fear of the unknown and manipulative historical composition/record keeping. Kum, who is known for his critical tone and confrontational style, views art, his personal equivalent to politics, as a means to intervene in the public status-quo According to the artist, the aim of art and his works, which are direct expressions of his thoughts, is not to look for the truth but to solve and question the dynamics that form the truth itself.
Kum, who believes that theories should stem from experience and serve to be put into practice, sets off on the argument that the most efficient way to inspect/analise an area is to Form/model those serving in that area. He argues that we all behave and act within the boundaries created for us by others.
Based on his thesis that "formatting" art depends on shaping the artists, in other words, making them data-absorbent, the artist states that art is the "cultural bait" for the consumer who is convinced that they are making a personal choice when they consume whatever is put before them.
Kum, believes that the "shallow people" that the system needs to maintain itself can only be obtained by reckless speed, also states that "If art has any power at all to intervene in life or to resist it, it needs to give up trying to keep up with this superficially accelerated life and look for ways to slow it down to a natural human pace. Decelerating is resisting."
PRESS CLIPS
Sanat Online, March 2016
Yokluğu Var Olan Resimler (PDF)
Cornucopia, March 2016
Gayri Resmi (PDF)
Cumhuriyet, November 2013
This Fair Is Pretty Serious (PDF)
Vatan, November 2013
Contemporary Istanbul (PDF)
Cumhuriyet, November 2013
This Fair Is Pretty Serious (PDF)
Cumhuriyet, November 2013
This Fair Is Pretty Serious (PDF)