WARNING: The works in this show are not suitable for young people under the age of 18 years old.
"FORMAT THEORY"
Burhan Kum's latest show "Format Theory" which opens March 18th 2010 at x-ist, is an invitation to ponder and examine the power of political and public control mechanisms and how they are used to form and manipulate the masses.
The works of Burhan Kum have aroused much interest in the art-world with his series of exhibits dealing with internal conflicts in society, focusing on such topics as, visage as a surrogate public facade, fear of the unknown and manipulative historical composition/record keeping.
Kum, who is known for his critical tone and confrontational style, views art, his personal equivalent to politics, as a means to intervene in the public status-quo According to the artist, the aim of art and his works, which are direct expressions of his thoughts, is not to look for the truth but to solve and question the dynamics that form the truth itself.
Kum, who b elieves that theories should stem from experience and serve to be put into practice, sets off on the argument that the most efficient way to inspect/analise an area is to Form/model those serving in that area. He argues that we all behave and act within the boundaries created for us by others.
Based on his thesis that "formatting" art depends on shaping the artists, in other words, making them data-absorbent, the artist states that art is the "cultural bait" for the consumer who is convinced that they are making a personal choice when they consume whatever is put before them.
Kum, believes that the "shallow people" that the system needs to maintain itself can only be obtained by reckless speed, also states that "If art has any power at all to intervene in life or to resist it, it needs to give up trying to keep up with this superficially accelerated life and look for ways to slow it down to a natural human pace. Decelerating is resisting."
BURHAN KUM Istanbul, 1962
Kum founded his own atelier in Holland after he graduated from Royal Academy of Fine Arts and Design Den Bosch (Holland) in 1989. Since 2005, he has had two solo exhibitions at x-ist, Facsimile and Fear versus Fear. Kum exhibits were "Resmen" (Karşı Sanat, 2004), Contemporary Istanbul 06, 07 and 09, "Possibilities, Perceptions and Speculations on Istanbul" (Istanbul, 2008), "Made in Turkey" group show (Frankfurt, 2008), "And...But...Or" (Karşı Sanat, İstanbul, 2008), Art Asia 2008 (Miami, 2008) and the Sotheby's 2009, Contemporary Turkish Art Auction.