Wet Dream

Exhibition: November, 2022
ISTANBUL
Artist Talk: December, 2022
ANKARA

There has long been the idea that anything evil or seductive, even the Devil himself, existed in the form of women throughout patriarchal art and world history. When it comes to why a man's will weakens so deeply as to commit a sin, almost every culture and belief system attributes it to the female, with her curves, long, wavy hair, and parted lips, even if she does nothing to provoke him. Every person's devil is different, and the root of this sin is desire.

In a world where biological sex no longer dominates the diversity of sexual expression, fluidity has been identified and restrictions lifted, does the devil ever stop trying to haunt a person in their most vulnerable dream state? ‘Wet Dream’ took another look at the images that center this question through a queer lens.

Can Akgümüş

Born Ankara in 1987, Can Akgümüş studied economy in Selcuk University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences. He uses photography as a tool to detect the cycle of the process of recording the apparent reality, and reproduction of it in relation to memory, history and society. He aims to build an origininal way of expression while searching for the boundaries of photography through various methods of collage art. While he produces his artworks through frequent travels in order to make distant and interpretive observations on the impacts of city life and the natural cycle of it on individuals, he also tries to discover new ways of connections between the individual and the collective memory. Akgümüş’ first dummy “The Other Bosnia '' became eligible for printing as a photobook when he was ranked 1st in the contest “ 3. International Bursa Fotofest ”. His first solo exhibition “Swallowed”, opened in 2016, at Artnivo Project Space in Istanbul. His second solo show “Terminal” opened in 2021, at Arthan Gallery in Istanbul. After Terminal’s installation in Istanbul, the exhibition’s new version was reopened in Ka, Ankara in 2022. Some of his selected exhibitions are: "Young/Fresh/Different IV” Galeri Zilberman, Istanbul (2013), 14. Istanbul Biennial Paralel Event "40 metres, 4 Walls, 8 Cubes" Zorlu Istanbul (2015), 7. İstanbul Pride Week "Who Would Have Thought" Istanbul (2016), 15. Istanbul Biennial Neighbour Event "Home" Evliyagil Museum, Ankara (2017),  METU Odtu Sanat 19 "A New World", Ankara (2018), "Icons of Thinking: Images and Texts'' Evliyagil Museum, Ankara (2018). He lives and works in both Ankara and Istanbul.

This page is published on 1 June 2022.

TAGS: ANKARA, art production, body, exhibition, gender, İSTANBUL, memory, photography, queer