"The Vivisector"
PILEVNELI Mecidiyeköy
September 10 - October 27, 2019
PILEVNELI Gallery is pleased to present works by Johan Creten, on view at its Mecidiyeköy location in Istanbul between September 10 – November 2, 2019 in a new exhibition titled “The Vivisector”.
The title “The Vivisector” refers to the book by Patrick White (1970) which explores the universal ideas of the creator’s suffering, the quest of truth and the meaning of existence; the book haunted Johan Creten’s childhood and determined his desire to be an artist.
Three monumental sculptures in stoneware, resembling anthropomorphic and enigmatic owls, welcome us, silent and ambivalent (“The Nose”, “Fatigue”, “The Vivisector”). Hieratic by the elegance of their glaze, they scrutinize us with their melancholic gaze almost as much as Egyptian gods. Two prime examples of the "Glory" series have an almost cosmic presence. A set of "View Points" invite the visitors to sit down, take time to rest and reflect.
