ARP Gallery will present two exhibitions featuring contemporary artwork as part of 13th Contemporary Istanbul art fair. The first of the group exhibitions, prepared by the gallery located in the Hilton Istanbul Bosporus' lobby, first opened in the gallery's own space.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) about the group exhibition, which is comprised of the work by Fabien Nizan Güner, Haluk Evitan and Şehriyar Cem, ARP Gallery Director Rahmi Çöğendez said the gallery has presented different exhibitions for two years.

Çöğendez said they opened the exhibition parallel to 13th Contemporary Istanbul and said: "It was really hard to bring these three artists who produce modern artwork in an exhibition together, but we managed it. Our exhibition will be open throughout the fair."

Mentioning the artists whose work is on display in the exhibition, he reported: "Fabien Nizan Güner is an important sculptor who has the state order in France. Contemporary art means modern art. Therefore, we tried to have a modern take. Haluk Evitan has a figurative, abstract style, while Şehriyar Cem produces totally expressionist, abstract work. His beautiful pieces are influenced by Jackson Pollock. This is why we have combined the souls of these three artists."

'Contemporary art demands innovation'

Born in Malatya province, Fabien Nizan Güner, 77, said he has 10 statues in the exhibition. Güner stated: "I generally use female figures in my work. I created a statue by thinking about a woman in the wind. However, representing the wind is important here. Actually, it is necessary to deal with the wind to be able to create the whole statue."

Telling he uses the forms of trees in his art, the artists continued: "In some of my statues, I work on the human body through tree forms. I have some work that look like comparisons of trees and humans. There are also some others that reflect the history of people and where they came from. I have prepared other statues inspired by flames."

He remarked that he used many different mediums before settling on sculpting in his nearly 50-year art life, making innovations with these materials.

Noting that 10 years of his art career were spent researching, Güner indicated: "I am interested in every material, including iron, stone, copper, wood and marble since contemporary art demands innovation. Many innovations that I created with these materials brought me awards."

Iranian painter Şehriyar Cem, who has 11 works at the exhibition, said his paintings are expressionist and abstract, and he uses an acrylic technique on canvas and paper.

Cem stressed that he came from Iran to Turkey in 1988 and has sustained his art life in the country to date. He has focused on the positive energy as a theme in his works.

The art of Bulgarian painter Christo Yotov, who has continued his work in Turkey; Nikolay Stoev, whose art will be exhibited in Turkey for the first time; Ukrainian artist Valentin Rekunenko, who has many works at various special collection in Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany and the U.S. and at museums in the Ukrainian provinces of Zaporozhia and Tokmak; and Vladimir Pervukhin, whose memorable works include frescoes and plaster engravings that have been exhibited at many institutes and special collections, will be on display in the other exhibition of ARP Gallery for 13th Contemporary Istanbul.