Sevil Dolmacı Dubai is currently home to Game Over. Let’s Stop Now., the first solo exhibition in Dubai by renowned Turkish artist Elvan Alpay. After a six-year hiatus, she unveils 33 new works created specifically for this showcase, offering a glimpse into her artistic evolution. The exhibition will be open to the public until 1 January 2025.
Alpay, celebrated for her profound engagement with nature’s boundless possibilities, has spent nearly four decades redefining the interplay between boundaries and creativity. For her, limitations do not restrict but instead add depth and elegance, fostering a poetic exploration of infinity within the finite. This latest collection continues her signature use of mixed media and 3D techniques to produce captivating works that resonate deeply with audiences.
Drawing inspiration from the poetry of Irish poet W.B. Yeats, the exhibition poses reflective questions about freedom and hope. Does Game Over. Let’s Stop Now. signify surrender, or does it challenge us to explore uncharted dimensions of thought? Like nature itself, Alpay’s art eschews definitive answers and embraces harmony and the beauty of uncertainty. Her artworks invite one to interpret her vision while highlighting the interconnectedness and therapeutic essence of the natural world.
About the artist
Elvan Alpay (b. 1968, Ankara, Turkey) resides in Istanbul (Turkey). She graduated from Marmara University’s Faculty of Fine Arts (Istanbul) in 1990, earning her Master’s degree there in 1992. Alpay also worked as a lecturer and pursued her art education at the Salzburg Academy (Austria).
Alpay’s art is distinguished by vibrant floral and animal motifs layered on her canvases. Employing acrylic on polyester film, she creates intricate 3D compositions, which she describes as wall sculptures. Her art pieces, featuring elements like birds, frogs, and foliage, are often likened to visual poetry, evoking the soothing and restorative qualities of nature. These surreal, layered universes encourage reflection on humanity’s essential connection with the natural world.
Alpay’s work has been exhibited extensively in solo and group shows across Turkey and internationally, including at Gagiad (Gaziantep, 2023), Atelier Marvy (Izmir, 2022), Sotheby’s London (UK, 1996), Galerie Les Mondes de l’Art (Paris, France, 1995), and the Pera Museum (Istanbul, 2018), to name a few. The artist has participated in exhibitions in Cologne and Düsseldorf (Germany), Trieste (Italy), and New York (USA) as well as the Beijing Biennale in 2006, where she received the Grand Prize.
Her art pieces can be found in prestigious public collections, such as Fondation Cartier (Paris), Mitsubishi Foundation (Tokyo, Japan), and OMM-Odunpazarı Modern Museum (Eskişehir, Turkey). They are also featured in notable corporate and private collections, including TurkishBank, Eczacıbaşı Holding, ENKA, and the Peninsula Hotel in Istanbul.
To learn more about Game Over. Let’s Stop Now., please visit the official web page of the show.
In addition, you might be interested in viewing Way of the Forest, a group exhibition at 421 Arts Campus, and Samur by Chinese artist Zheng Bo.
