Yüksel Arslan

This exhibition "Artures" was the first in Western Europe to present works by the Turkish-born artist Yüksel Arslan (*1933). Arslan left his home country in 1962 for political reasons and resettled in Paris with the help of such well-known artists as André Breton, Jean Dubuffet and Jean-Paul Sartre. Arslan incorporates a broad range of cultural references in his Artures – illustrations and paintings on paper. Although his colours frequently resemble those used in traditional Oriental or Far Eastern painting, his philosophical, literary and musical subjects are anchored in Western culture. For example, he devotes both work groups Influences I and II to famous European figures, such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Samuel Beckett and Franz Kafka. Arslan’s imagery is characterized by human and animal forms/physiognomies and landscapes. He is known for using nonconventional pigments comprised of plant extracts and natural elements like flowers, grass, oil, charcoal or stones. With stops in Zurich, Düsseldorf and Hamburg, the exhibition presented approximately 240 works on paper and offered an overview of the various phases of Arslan’s artistic career. An extensive catalogue in German and English accompanied the exhibition.

Curators: Oliver Zybok, Beatrix Ruf, Elodie Evers, Gregor Jansen
Artist: Yüksel Arslan (FR)

Kunsthalle Zürich, 28 Jan. - 9 Apr. 2012
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, 21 Apr. - 24 Jun. 2012
Kunsthalle Wien, 16 Jan. - 26. Feb. 2013