SERKAN SARIER
HUBRIS
03.10 - 09.11.2024
PİLEVNELİ | DOLAPDERE
PİLEVNELİ is pleased to present Hubris, a solo exhibition by Berlin-based artist Serkan Sarıer, set to take place in Istanbul from October 3 to November 9, 2024. Hubris explores themes of identity, belonging, and alienation, focusing on how individuals positioned as others in society cope with social pressures. The word “hubris” literally means excessive pride or arrogance, often leading to disaster. However, in Sarıer's interpretation, the term transcends its classical meaning, becoming a powerful metaphor for resistance against societal norms. It is a study of how figures confront the expectations imposed on them and how Sarıer risks alienation in his pursuit of self-expression.
The etymological roots of the word “hubris” trace back to Ancient Greece, where it was typically defined as arrogance born of excessive confidence, often punished with severe consequences, particularly when directed against the gods. Mythological figures like Icarus and Prometheus exemplify this idea; their attempts to overstep boundaries ended in tragic consequences. Yet in Sarıer's Hubris exhibition, the artist reinterprets the concept beyond its traditional meaning, viewing it as a response to exclusion. In his works, rebellion is approached not as a challenge to fate but as a courageous and necessary act for survival. For individuals whose identities—whether based on ethnicity, gender, or sexuality—clash with societal norms, resisting these pressures becomes an act of reclamation. Sarıer's works, in this context, celebrate the courage and resilience of marginalized individuals who risk everything to defend their right to exist. Each work in Hubris captures moments of vulnerability and defiance, inviting deep reflection on how challenging societal norms is not an act of arrogance but a fundamental aspect of survival in an exclusionary world.
Serkan Sarıer, whose portfolio spans from canvas to video, explores themes of displacement and identity. In his works, he examines the disconnect between personal identity, shaped by ethnicity, gender, and environment, and the feeling of not belonging to any community or place. Sarıer addresses this state of alienation by transforming figures in his works, detaching them from their original forms and rendering them in a fluid appearance. For Sarıer, this transformation symbolizes a break from identity groups that constrain the individual. Born in Hanau, Germany, Serkan Sarıer graduated from the Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 2001 and completed his Master’s degree at Goldsmiths University of London in 2018. His selected exhibitions include Hubris, PİLEVNELİ Dolapdere (2024); Weeping Glitch, PİLEVNELİ Yalıkavak (2023); Wer Wir Sind, Bundeskunsthalle Bonn (2023); and Swarm, PİLEVNELİ Dolapdere (2022). Serkan Sarıer lives and works in Berlin and New York.
Hubris can be seen at PİLEVNELİ Dolapdere between October 3 - November 9, 2024.
