MICHAEL SAILSTORFER, 4 MASKS: PILEVNELI | YALIKAVAK

Would the artist Michael Sailsorfer (1979, Velden/Germany) have been able to predict what his variations of masks, which he started with bronze and iron in 2015 and continued with ceramics, could mean today back then? Not much, everything has gained incredible momentum in 5-6 years and the mask has created several meanings for itself in today's reality, almost stripped of its past meanings (references to different periods and purposes of use throughout human history such as anonymity, theatre, religious rituals, animism, etc.) The most important of these was undoubtedly the Covid-19 pandemic that made us all tremble with fear for two years. Of course, Sailstorfer's masks exhibited at Pilevneli are neither similar in form nor content to the medical masks in question. However, the inevitable connection between them aligns with one of the artist's most important goals: his passion for the transformation of everyday details and objects, and his discourse centered around the idea that humans have no control over nature regardless of their actions.

The Infinite Possibility of Things
Before focusing on the masks, it is important to consider the artist's general practice, which is primarily centered around three-dimensional concerns and site-specific artwork. Drawing inspiration from mundane objects and the notion of transience, Sailstorfer emphasizes that his ideas construct their materials, dimensions and processes. He is particularly fascinated by the infinite possibilities of objects being able to transcend their original contexts and thus, he often creates works that adapt and transform the space they occupy, varying depending on the environment. Sometimes, he expands and alters the space through what he refers to as the fourth dimension - sound or scent. Coming from a family of craftsmen and with his knowledge and experience of building and manual labor, he progressed on this path, and after producing mostly outdoor works in the early period, he started to work in smaller dimensions. However, regardless of the material he uses and the place of the exhibition, there is one important detail that he always pays attention to in all his works: An effective contrast. In this context, he tries to relate to the outdoor space or the white-cube gallery environment in a different way, always keeping a tense duality fresh.

The Fourth Dimension of Smell and Sound: Let the Corns Pop
The artist, who is interested in concepts such as space, emptiness, occupied areas and expansion, is inspired by the idea of a person or a sculpture occupying physical space in a room and exemplifies this with a characteristic of Andy Warhol: Although Warhol was quite an introvert, he would use a significant amount of perfume to occupy the same amount of space as an extrovert person in a social setting. Thus, the allure, associations and imagination created by scent come into play here. Sailstorfer believes that "invisible" elements such as scent and sound are just as effective as the visual ones. For instance, in his show at Jupiter Artland Foundation in 2017, the artist reshaped and transformed familiar materials or mechanical systems, creating a captivating tension that simultaneously evokes both the seriousness and dark humour, pointing to the concepts of transformation and change. In this context, he created a similar arrangement to one he had previously done by making a popcorn machine referencing the idea of innovation and diversity. The machine continuously spreads corn kernels into the space and eventually, the gallery floor is completely covered with layers of corn. Of course, the smell of the corn and the rhythm of the machine are very effective in drawing the audience into this atmosphere and making them contemplate. The viewer, who might remember watching a movie or a childhood memory through the smell at the entrance, takes on a state of mind that develops according to whichever stage she/he enters the space in which the corn is spread on the floor. The work, which contains concepts such as rhythm, proliferation, accumulation, piling up, condensation, and occupation together with various images and associations remembered through the sensitivity of smell, turns into a new field of interaction in which the artist both formally questions the idea of sculpture and pushes the boundaries of an ordinary and everyday process of popping corn.

4 Masks: A Journey from Scentless Days to the World of the Spirits
Every work of art has the potential to settle into today's reality in the way it deserves if it is mature enough and born from free thinking. Regardless of the powerful emotion the concept of masks evokes, reminiscent of the fear of losing the sense of smell, the meanings conveyed by masks have always been strong in different periods. Sailstorfer's masks, previously crafted with bronze and iron, were more stylized and their models were first shaped from cardboard and then the final form was given by metal casting. On the other hand, in his masks series produced in 2017 and 2018, Sailstorfer created masks that stood out with their glazed ceramics, amorphous and even geometric details. It is difficult to define a direct image in these forms, which are speckled with glaze drops and marbles, but it can be stated that the slits evoking mouths, surface manipulations pointing to the eyes and pointed protrusions implying noses refer to the Oceanic and African arts. Masks embody a status quo marked by history and symbolism, while modern sculpture reaches back into the history of the exchange between futurist scenarios (e.g. robots) and traditional ceremonial objects. Perhaps Sailstorfer's amorphous objects, which also emphasize a certain weight due to both their colour and form, become heavier in the eyes of the viewer due to their historical function of imitating nature, communicating with spirits, creating characters in theatres, ensuring anonymity, representing dead spirits, magic and ritual, entertainment and protection. From where we stand today, this metaphor softly whispers our survival reflex and the technological realities we live in, a society full of aesthetic concerns where everyone tries to look alike, the virtual world and social platforms where we can remain anonymous without showing our true selves, and the numerous 'masked' truth about the world itself. However, breaking free from all of these and beginning anew in its new form as a new image, is also possible at this moment; just like the limitless possibilities of formal imagination envisioned by Sailstorfer.