Selen Kalayci. Bruciando nel riflesso

"Where did your journey begin, and where did you wish to depart? Were the encounters predetermined, or were they something you recreated? In each minuscule unit of life, you searched for a trace. You wrote to the water, you spoke to its ripples. It behaved unlike any water you know. Despite watching it repeatedly, you couldn't fully grasp its stillness and depth - its sharpness as a whole. You noticed how it captured every imaginable shade of green, home to a distinct moss—stretching quietly from every edge, reaching out to the canals and the sea, as if whispering, 'I am here.' Establishing its presence. And then, there were the forsaken mosses. Yet I do not think they were unhappy, for they had accepted their place as part of a greater whole. My home, it seems, was me."

Selen Kalaycı

Bruciando nel Riflesso: Selen Kalayci's invitation to explore a city's essence
Taking place in Piazza Erminio Ferretto, Mestre, 'Bruciando nel Riflesso' is curated by Vito Campanelli and displays work by Selen Kalayaci, including photographs, charcoal drawings, and Venetian red pigment works. The work explores the artist's bond with the city she now lives in through stories of water, reflections, and nature. The exhibition offers a space to consider identity, belonging, and human connection with the natural world.

Drawing inspiration from her life and experiences in Venice and Mestre, Turkish artist Selen Kalaycı invites viewers to her latest exhibition: Bruciando nel Riflesso. The showcased works are shaped by the artist's observations and the unique bond she formed with the city's texture and essence. In this exhibition, Selen Kalaycı presents photographs taken in Venice, charcoal drawings, and paper works created with Venetian red pigment, offering both a visual and emotional experience. A highlight of the exhibition is the inclusion of works inspired by scientific explorations of organic forms, a testament to Kalaycı's deep engagement with natural processes. However, there are several techniques used in the art, including photography, charcoal drawings and paper works created with Venetian red pigment. In the variation of their technical differences, each piece in Bruciando nel Riflesso reflects the artist's meditations on water, ecosystems, and the fleeting yet enduring traces left behind by life - a story etched into the depths of water. It is the journey of an artist searching for belonging in Venice's canals, the silent calls of moss, and the earthy scent of red pigment. Central to her exploration is the poetic question: "Where did your journey begin, and where did you wish to set out? Were the encounters predetermined, a matter of fate, or were they something you re-created?" In this context, Seneca's words resonate deeply with the exhibition's essence: "Nature ensures that everything happens in its own time." Kalaycı's works reflect this wisdom of nature's order and the human search for a place within it, offering a profound exploration.

About the Exhibition
"Bruciando nel Riflesso" includes 7 photographic works, 4 paper works (35x50 cm), and 3 small charcoal drawings (15 cm). These pieces explore Venice's and Mestre's natural and spatial textures, as well as the timeless essence of water. Kalaycı weaves a narrative that spans from the smallest building blocks of nature to the vast textures of Venice. These works form a contemporary map of the transient nature of water, the fragility of ecosystems, and the reflections of identities in motion. The exhibition opens on the 3rd of December, 2024 and will run until January 12th, 2025 at Al Buso di Piazza Erminio Ferretto, Mestre, Venezia.... read the rest of the article»