AlanIstanbul is hosting the works of Selma Gürbüz in an exhibition titled “Red and Black,” which makes references to philosophy and literature while bringing a new meaning to the soul of the human being.
“Red and Black” is the first part of a trilogy of exhibitions. The first part is at AlanIstanbul, while London will host the other two thereafter at Leighton House.
Even though Gürbüz’s drawings initially seem very modest, they reflect the courageous youth of a person with their redness. The black is like a melancholic story of the human soul.
The works at the exhibition cover red and black portraits that Gürbüz created in 2007 and 2006 in Paris. She worked on handmade paper.
It seems like Gürbüz left herself alone with her soul while she was drawing those portraits. The perception of id, ego and superego can be seen in the drawings of Gürbüz.
The white and pure handmade paper reflects the pureness of life while the red is the superego, which is bothering the human being and tries to show itself with pride and pain. The superego might be perceived as the black color on the portraits as it tries to cover everywhere with its own color and exert its control over the portraits.
The title of the exhibition might also bring to mind Stendhal. “The Black and The Red” (Le Rouge et le Noir) is a historical psychological novel in two volumes, chronicling a provincial young man’s attempts to socially rise beyond his plebeian upbringing with a combination of talent and hard work, deception and hypocrisy — yet who ultimately allows his passions to betray him.
The novel tells about the passionate and impossible love between Julien and Elisa. The colors red and black signifies the impossibility, war and hardships of the situation.
The reflection of this in Gürbüz’s portraits can first seems obvious, but at the same time it is hidden behind something.
At the end we all witness many love stories – some of which are desperate while most of them take place in between the wars of the human soul.
Gürbüz is a successful painter in reflecting the storm and the meanings behind looks, colors and portraits.