CCA,Lagos is pleased to present the work of Turkish Artist Pinar Yolaçan's 'Maria' series

Pinar Yolaçan ‘Maria’

17th April – 28th of May 2010

“When you put on the clothes of another culture, it changes how you stand,

how you feel, the gestures you make.” Pinar Yolaçan

As part of the year long focus on Photography and Art, Fashion and Identity, CCA,Lagos is pleased to present Turkish artist Pinar Yolaçan’s critically acclaimed series “Maria”, (2007) a stunning collection of 12 stunning life size portrait photographs of African-Brazilian women emerging from stark black backgrounds. Taken over a twelve month period in Itapurica, Bahia, Brazil, Yolaçan’s images are evocative of Old Master portraits, possessing the psychological and emotional immediacy of the Romantic genre. In this series the artist subverts regality by dressing her sitters in elaborate hand sewn couture costumes with trimmings of ‘unusual’ materials such as velvet, satin, tripe, placenta and sheep’s testicles. Through this series Yolaçan engages with issues of beauty, the body, colonialism, and death as a way of broaching the “impermanence of things.”

Artist Bio

Pinar Yolaçan was born in Ankara, Turkey in 1981. She attended London’s Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and Chelsea School of Art and Design, and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Cooper Union in New York City. She has participated in several international exhibitions including most recently Dress Codes, the 3rd ICP Triennal of Photography, International Centre for Photography, New York, (2009), Tracking Traces KIASMA, Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, (2009) In the light of Play CCA,Lagos at Durban Art Gallery, Durban, and 2nd Johannesburg Art Fair, South Africa (2009), Turkish Realities: Positions in Contemporary Photography from Turkey, Fotografie Forum International Frankfurt, Germany (2008). She lives and works in Brooklyn, New York and Istanbul, Turkey.

Organised by Oyinda Fakeye, CCA,Lagos Art Project Co-Ordinator

The exhibition launches with a light reception at the CCA,Lagos gallery space on Saturday 17^th April, where press and guests will be invited to view the works and meet with the artist Pinar Yolaçan on her first visit to Lagos.

Exhibition Programme

3 day Art Photography Workshop 21st - 23rd April 10am -5pm

To coincide with the programme CCA,Lagos will be hosting a three day workshop art photography workshop in which artist Pinar Yolaçanwill guide participants in conceiving and realizing work(s) that will go on to be displayed within the CCA,Lagos library space as part of the Fashion, Art and Identity series. The workshop will take place from the 21st - 23rd April, 2010. For more information please contact Oyinda Fakeye at info@ccalagos.org or on 07055680104, spaces are limited.

Artists Talk Saturday 24^th April 3pm

Our established P.A.G.E.S event which invites artists and writers to discuss work from our exhibitions will be held on the 24^th April 2010, featuring a panel that includes; designer Deola Sagoe and writer Odili Ojubuonu in conversation with the artist Pinar Yolaçan. The event will start at 3pm prompt and be followed by light refreshments.

More Information

For More information please contact Oyinda Fakeye at info@ccalagos.org or on 07055680104.