Selin AYDINOL Istanbul, 1994
In the studio - Antwerp, 2020
In 2016, Selin Aydinol moved from Istanbul to Antwerp. Three years later, in 2019, she received her master's degree in painting from the Royal Academy of Antwerp. Her first exhibition, "Omg Is Pink The New Black?" was curated by Spank Moons. She then participated in the "To Be Antwerp" exhibition at Geukens en De Vil Gallery and "Zonder Kunstenaars Geen Kunst" at Muhka, a group show featuring Chantal Akerman, Fred Bervoets, Ria Pacquée, and others. Selin also participated in the "De Nieuwe Garde" exhibition by Kunst in Huis at Zuiderpershuis for Antwerp Art Weekend 2021, and most recently, the Affordable Art Fair Brussels 2023.
Selin creates abstract paintings using acrylic and lacquer on panel. She begins with a figurative image, which she then makes abstract by gridding it. Each section of the image becomes a separate painting as Selin paints them. She was inspired by her childhood experiences of moving frequently, changing schools and neighborhoods, and having to learn new rules and habits of each place to integrate into it. She believes that changing countries is similar, and one needs to learn and integrate to coexist.
The figurative image Selin draws at the beginning is a metaphor for a new place or neighborhood or country. Gridding the image represents the rules, laws, and habits of that place. Painting each section represents the idea that one person cannot represent a whole neighborhood, one neighborhood cannot represent a whole country. Wherever you go, you will face similar negativities. To stay in a place, you must discover what's good around you. Selin believes that the act of painting is a way of discovering what's good in where you're living.
Artistically, by turning a figurative image into several abstract paintings, Selin wants to emphasize on how much she values abstraction. She paints each piece to make them beautiful enough to hang alone, even though that piece used to belong to a bigger picture. She is very attracted to abstract art. However, she still doesn’t quite get why an abstract image affects her the way it does. This mystery inspires her to make these kinds of works. Selin also believes that as opposed to figurative paintings, abstract paintings have more room for interpretation and expression.
Selin also paints on canvas and paper, sometimes more figuratively than abstract. She doesn’t want to limit herself by having only one method. She wants to explore further and challenge herself with new attempts.
CV
Exhibitions & Performances
2023, February - Affordable Art Fair - Brussels - Kunst in Huis
2022, October - Group show - Harelbeke - Kunstenhuis
2021, May - Group show - Antwerp Art Weekend - Zuiderpershuis - Kunst in Huis
2020, February - Group show - Zonder Kunstenaars Geen Kunst - Muhka - NICC
2019, November - Group show - To Be Antwerp - Geukens & De Vil
2019, June - Group show - Master Exhibition, Rediscovering The Already Existent - KASK Antwerp
2019, June - Performance art - Groener Plaats - Groenplaats
2019, February - Group show - OMG Is Pink the New Black? - KASK Antwerp
2019, January - Performance art - Lecture Performances in Perspective (video) - Extra City
2017, June - Performance art - I live in Antwerp now (video) - KASK Antwerp
Interviews & Publications
2023 May, Figuratively abstract, abstractly figurative - Different Class - Kunst in Huis
2022 Apr, Kunstwerkt - Kunstletters #017 - April issue
2022 Apr, Het Kwartiertje - (Page 12) April issue
2021 May, Kunst in Huis interview (Video)
2021 Apr, NICC - Zonder kunstenaars geen kunstboek
2021 Mar, Boomer Gallery Magazine - First edition
Websites
My artistic website: selinaydinol.com
My website initiative to promote writings: among-art.com
Projects & Other
2021 Nov - 2022 June, Project leader & manager - Burgerbegroting Project Stad Antwerpen
2021 Nov - Present, Board member of NICC
2021 May, Tour guide - Gallery Hopping - Kunst Aan Zet
2019 July - 2019 Sep, Gallery assistant - Annie Gentils Gallery