Metanoia
11 february – 23 april 2017
In June 2007 the Artist’s Collective Workshop in Luleå received a two-meter-tall oak log. The log, weighing almost a tonne and hard as a rock, was sent from the Department of Parks and Recreation in Stockholm. This log became the starting point for the work of Turkish artist Yaşam Şaşmazer, who participated in the Luleå Art Biennial that same summer.
Over the course of a few weeks, she shaped the compact log into a sculpture using a chain saw and different tools. The sculpture represented a grumpy girl who was clasping a basket of toys in her arms with an irritated and somewhat malicious expression. The sculpture was titled “All Mine” and could be seen outside of Norrbottens museum during the entire summer. Her work is carried out with great technical skill, always managing to touch our feelings.
At Havremagasinet, Yaşam Şaşmazer presents “Metanoia,” the title of her third large project. In this series, she visualizes feelings that we all in one way or another wrestle with. Her wooden sculptures convey innermost sensations that we may not always be able to find words for or articulate to ourselves or to anyone close to us. It is the kind of art that makes us deal with our demons, agonies, and fears. It is art at its best, shaking us up and helping us grow.
More information can be found in the Folder (available only in Swedish).
About the artist
Yaşam Şaşmazer is a highly regarded artist from Turkey, hailed as one of the most promising in her generation. She was born in Istanbul in 1980, where she studied art and sculpture before eventually settling in Berlin and Istanbul. Her artistic journey began with the creation of expressive figures reminiscent of children, frozen in motion and meticulously crafted from wood with great sensitivity. Inspired by her studies in psychology, Yaşam continued to explore the human form in her later works, which now depict adults. Her latest project, Metanoia, is a testament to her growth and evolution as an artist. Yaşam’s works have been exhibited in numerous cities across the globe, including Berlin, London, New York, Istanbul, and Dubai, as well as in the Luleå Art Biennial, 2007. As an artist, Yaşam Şaşmazer’s ability to capture emotion and movement through her figures is truly remarkable. Her unique perspective and unwavering dedication to her craft make her one of the most exciting artists to watch in the contemporary art scene.
