Pi Artworks gets off the ground the gallery-university collaborations in Istanbul, previously established in London. The first of the project is implemented with Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University.

Pi Artworks starts its collaboration with art schools as a long-term project in its gallery located in Istanbul, following successful coaction in London. The Curatorial Open program prepared with Goldsmiths University in London stands out among the collaborations that the gallery has signed to date, and takes place traditionally every summer. Pi Artworks is now launching these important collaborations in Istanbul, providing visibility and support for new generations of artists and curators to take their first steps into the art market and gain professional experience in a gallery.

Pi Artworks Istanbul realises the first gallery-university collaboration with Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. The gallery will host the group exhibition titled Paint, Once More by the 2020 and 2021 graduates of the Faculty of Fine Arts' Painting Department between May 7 and June 30, 2022. The young artists participating in the exhibition are Furkan Akhan, Elif Aktaş, Müge Bakır, Merve Gözde Bingül, Daniela Budişteanu, Damla Çil, Emel Ezal, Tansu Köse, Ayşe Şener and Naz Tansel. Their graduation coincided with the start of the pandemic; marking closures and a global trauma.

Now that the process of returning to pre-pandemic times has begun, we wish to showcase the work of young artists. The exhibition is organised by Can Aytekin and Yasemin Nur. During the pandemic and consequence closures, studio lessons were held indoors, online and via phone calls. After graduating from university, young artists continued to produce and paint; some of them stayed in touch with each other in the studios, some in their homes. They shared the same space and continued their efforts to work, produce and paint. While the works in the exhibition seize canvas and painting as opportunities, they don't neglect to make subjective references to the almost endlessly rich history of painting in their paintings that appear here today. "Paint, Once More" presents works of these 10 painters, who create their ways and solutions, seek their direction and try to find their ways, will be open to the audience this spring, in the new space of Pi Artworks Istanbul in Piyalepasa.

Press release courtesy Pi Artworks.