Vienna Palffy Palace
14 Apr - 28 Apr 2011  

Can Göknil's paintings were exhibited in the Society for Art of Imagination's exhibition in Phantasten Museum. The exhibition was attended by numerous painters from all over the world.

Details:
Spykeheels
O Gün Haber
Güzel Vatan
Konsensus Haber
Mini Fikir
Sinematur
Stargazete

Exhibition: 18 Feb - 23 March 2011  

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Lunar Attraction

Have you ever wondered when
and why human beings have been fascinated by the moon?

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Best Before Books in Boxes
"Woman's"

The artist’s vile thoughts about expirery dates

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Best Before Books in Boxes
"The Lost Head"

Artist's Statement:

“I borrowed an ancient folk story (told by Boratav) for my artist book, the first of the series called “Best Before Books in Boxes.”

This story, “My Head”, should be read before one looses one's head, which often happens to many of us.

The Arabic inscription on the cover is the stamped signature of my husband's grandfather who was shot in the head during our Independence War. His name was Recep, my husband was named after him.(His stamp is in my collection now, allowing me to pay personal tribute to him.)

Illustrations are in pencil, the most basic media. The central head relief is baked clay (The workmanship is mine). I designed the digital lettering and used reversed transfer photocopies on very heavy Arches watercolor paper.The binding is hand-woven string. There are 3 copies, numbered and signed. The wooden box is painted in acrylics.

Wooden box:
Height: 20cm Length: 13cm Width: 6cm

The book:
Height: 18.5cm Length: 12cm Width: 1cm

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Best Before Books in Boxes
"The Circle"

A hand crafted book with an expiry date, conveying a sense of urgency, demanding the immediate participation of the reader. This work was created upon the loss of the artist’s mother.

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Books on Tablets
"Light and Dark"

The artist was influenced by wood or clay tablets which served as folios for the scribers of Mesopotamia.

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Books on Tablets
"The Sea and I"

Artist's poetry scetched on wood and scribed on paper is bound with strings containing talismanic metals.

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Ceramic Books
"Calvino's Cosmos"

Several leading contemporary art galleries of Istanbul are staging parallel exhibits with the Xth International Istanbul Biennial. Gallery Apel, in the historic district of Galatasaray, is launching “pages”, with ten leading Turkish artists. Can Göknil’s participation reflects on the codices of the East & the West.

(Sept.6-Oct.20, 2007)

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Altered Books
"Romeos and Juliets of the East"

A description will be added very soon.

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Cover designs for classical Anatolian love stories

“I discovered the first illustrated folk stories of XIXth century Istanbul which were about the grieving Romeos and Juliets of the East. Their illustrations, although very crudely executed, carry a certain charm that complement the sensuality of the storytelling. These despairing lovers have now found their way into my book works, carrying traces of primitive expression in parallel with their original lithographs. It was in 1831 when the first litho press was founded in Istanbul by Henry Cayol. In 1869 Antoine Zellich joined his efforts, also printing illustrated folk stories,” says Göknil.

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Brotherhood of Word and Sight

While five leather-bound books rest on their cutom built tables, the etchings, aquatints, crayons and sepia inks on their pages reveal the supernatural beliefs of the Ottoman era.

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Musical Pages

These acrylics on canvases are joyful encounters with mythical creatures that have greatly inspired the artist in the last decade.

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Can Göknil's new book is out

The images of Can Göknil’s personal exhibitions in recent years weave around mythological subjects. This extensive research about Turkik and Anatolian myths also resulted in this book which candidly explains the evolution of an artist.

For her mythology is the richest and most universal of sources an artist can reach out to. When asked about her subject matter, the artist replies,

“I find my subject matter within the beliefs and traditions of our cultural heritage, explore each phase in depth, and then set out to create my own interpretation applying different techniques of artistry most befitting to the theme at hand.”

To navigate to an online-store which carries this book, please click here.

Contemporary Istanbul '08

October 16 - 19 2008

"An international contemporary art exposition where national and international galleries selected by the "Contemporary Istanbul" jury participate and contemporary art is presented." (directly quoted from Contemporary Istanbul '08 website)

To view the official site for Contemporary Istanbul '08 please click here.

Artist’s Books Collections at The National Art Library of Victoria & Albert Museum

After examining her recent exhibition catalogue, Andrew Russell, curator, National Art Library of Victoria & Albert Museum in London wrote to Can on June 23, 2005: “I am very interested in your work and found looking through the exhibition catalogue for your recent handmade book display very inspiring. The National Art Library has a collection of Islamic manuscripts and bindings and to have some contemporary work which alludes to this area would, I personally think, really add to our book art collections.” Needless to say the artist was delighted. With her art work, she travelled to London to meet the selection committee of the National Art Library.

The Artist commented: “I see books as works of art born through the union of texture and color, where letters, numbers, markings contribute to the final form. I often use pictures to draw the viewer closer to the text and help them reach different mental perspectives. At other times words enhance my drawings as they collaborate with inks, paper,and other matterials resulting in unique book works.”

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At The National Art Library of Victoria & Albert Museum

On November 10, 2005, Can showed her artist’s books to John Morton (acting acquisitions manager) and Jennie Farmer (asistant librarian) at the National Art Library of V&A. After careful consideration the choices were: Yıldızname,I & II (Zodiac, book 1&2) Davetname (Book of summoning).

On November 11, 2005 in their acceptance letter, the library officials wrote: “These books together with the exhibition catalogue...and other explanatory material will be added to the National Art Library’s collections. In due course these items will be catalogued and records will be available through ...(the)... online catalogue...”

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Artist wins Grand Prix at the 14th International Gabrovo Biennial

The Golden Aesop is the first prize which entitles Göknil to a solo exhibition during the fifteenth International Biennial of Humour and Satire in the Arts, Gabrovo, 2001.