Selin AYDINOL Istanbul, 1994
In the studio - Antwerp, 2020
Selin Aydinol moved from Istanbul to Antwerp in 2016. In 2019 she received her master degree in painting from Royal Academy of Antwerp. Her first exhibition was “Omg Is Pink The New Black?” curated by Spank Moons. Followed by “To Be Antwerp” exhibition in Geukens en De Vil Gallery, “Zonder Kunstenaars Geen Kunst” in Muhka, a group show with Chantal Akerman, Fred Bervoets, Ria Pacquée and more. Most recently “De Nieuwe Garde” exhibition by Kunst in Huis in Zuiderpershuis for Antwerp Art Weekend 2021.
Selin makes abstract paintings with acrylic and lacquer on wood. She first draws a figurative image, then makes them abstract by gridding the image. These smaller sections of the image become separate paintings as Selin paints them. The inspiration of this method was generated from her childhood. Selin changed houses many times growing up. Each time she had to learn new rules and habits of that neighborhood to be able to integrate into it. She saw that changing the country you live in is the same. You need to learn and integrate to be able to coexist. The figurative image she draws in the beginning is a metaphor for “a new place/ neighborhood/ country” Then she grids the image. The grid represents the rules/ laws/ habits of that place. Her painting each section into paintings represents the idea: “One person can not represent a whole neighborhood. One neighborhood can not represent a whole country. Everyplace has similar negativities. If you want to stay, you must discover what’s good around you.” The act of painting is discovering what’s good.
Artistically by turning a figurative image into several abstract paintings, Selin wants to emphasize on how much she values abstraction. She is very attracted to abstract art. However, she 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. Her latest paintings on canvas are half figurative and half abstract. She doesn’t want to only paint on wood. She also wants to paint on canvas with different subjects.
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
2022 Apr, Kunstwerkt - April issue
2022 Apr, Het Kwartiertje - April issue
2021 May, Kunst in Huis interview
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