Odeabank O’art Brings “Planet I” Exhibition to Art Lovers​

“Planet I,” an exhibition by the artist duo ha:ar, showcasing the interdisciplinary works of sculptor Hande Şekerciler and new media artist Arda Yalkın, will be open to the public from October 27 to November 4, 2022, at Zülfaris, Karaköy, courtesy of O'Art, Odeabank's art platform.

O’Art, established by Odeabank in 2015, strives to make all art disciplines accessible to everyone. Embracing a new vision, O’Art now emphasizes digital and new media art, while persistently creating original works to enrich the art world and its admirers. The exhibition “Planet I,” a blend of traditional art techniques with new media, will be open at the historical Zülfaris Karaköy from October 27 to November 4, 2022. The exhibition will be open to the public free of charge from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

In addition to ha:ar’s latest works from the “İmkansız Heykeller (Impossible Sculptures)” series, which have been exhibited in Ankara, Venice, Milan, and London, the exhibition will present the 11-channel video-audio installation ‘Mindflow,’ available as a musical piece, and pieces from the AI-generated stained glass series “Refraction.” Also included in the exhibition are Hande Şekerciler’s latest solo works, the “Saudade” series, featuring marble and bronze sculptures. “Planet I” emphasizes interdisciplinary dialogue, blending traditional materials like marble, glass, and metal with technological tools including lights, sounds, screens, computer software, and artificial intelligence.

Planet I: Merging Traditional Art with New Media

The exhibition showcases the duo ha:ar’s blend of art and new media, as they continue to pursue aesthetics by subverting conventional artistic creation methods in their “human-focused” works. Drawing on their technical mastery, the duo engages with uncertainty, revealing details that range from the established tenets of art history to the random influences of digital technology.

With “Planet I,” the duo ha:ar explores the notion of “our idea of ourselves,” scrutinizing our thoughts about who we are, how these thoughts evolve, and the interactions they can initiate through new production methods. Merging the words “Planet” and “I,” the exhibition examines individuals who, by distancing themselves from interactions and their sense of self, become stereotypes of themselves, yet remain convinced they are unique and special.

Mindflow: An Artwork Available for Listening on Apple Music

At the entrance of the exhibition, the audience will be greeted by “Mindflow,” ha:ar’s long-incubating video-audio installation. Mindflow' is a layered project exploring how creative minds across various disciplines respond to the same data.

Even though the duo doesn't view this arrangement as a musical piece, music is undeniably one of the project's primary outputs. Mindflow, categorized as “New Music” due to its instrument selection and production method, will be mixed as Spatial Audio at Dolby Atmos Studios and released on Apple Music to deliver the ultimate listening experience. With Spatial Audio headphones, the sound experience will make listeners feel like they are exploring inside the artwork.

Refraction: Stained Glass Designed by Artificial Intelligence

In the exhibition supported by O’art, the “Refraction” series by ha:ar elevates medieval stained glass from a mere accessory to a standalone work of art, each piece illuminating in its own light. The duo ha:ar employs artificial intelligence to design these stained glass pieces, which are crafted using traditional techniques, presenting each one with its unique radiance.

Created by the duo since 2018 and exhibited in major cities such as New York, Venice, Milan, and London, the “Impossible Sculptures” series addresses the conflict between human nature and technology created by humanity, set within a civilization depicted through visuals that initially evoke the aesthetics of early Renaissance European art.

saudade: What we know we can never get back, what we can't let go of...

The exhibition presents Hande Şekerciler’s “saudade” series, where the traditional sculpture is reimagined from a contemporary perspective using marble and bronze. Taking their name from the Portuguese word 'saudade,' the statues embody an emotional state of melancholic or profoundly nostalgic longing for a beloved but absent someone or something.

Odeabank Conveys Its Phygital Banking Vision Through Art

Odeabank CEO Mert Öncü emphasized that O’art, which has grown in step with the bank’s innovative and dynamic vision, has recently made supporting young artists in digital art and new media its top priority. Commenting on their support for pioneering new media art, he said: ‘We have made it one of our priorities to provide sustainable support to young artists who aspire to work in the digital field and are driven by their dreams and vision. The exhibition ‘Planet I,’ which seamlessly combines traditional art with new media, was brought to life as part of our phygital approach. We believe that art and its creation methods are transforming alongside the world, evolving in tandem with technology. We are delighted to introduce art enthusiasts in Türkiye to Mindflow, an innovative fusion of technology and art, soon to be released on Apple Music.”

Odeabank, a support sponsor of the 17th Istanbul Biennial, has collaborated with ha:ar to present the “Benküre/Planet I” exhibition, which will also be featured in the Biennial’s parallel events.

About O’Art:

Odeabank launched its art platform O’Art in 2015 with the goal of making all disciplines of art accessible to everyone. O’Art hosts valued contemporary artists and continues to create original works to add value to art and art enthusiasts. Since its establishment, the platform has been organizing periodic exhibitions featuring young and mid-career artists from Türkiye and around the world.

About Odeabank:

Founded in 2012 with investment from Bank Audi Group, Odea Bank A.Ş. became the first bank to be granted a banking license after a 15-year period during which no new banking licenses were issued. As of June 2022, it operates in 16 provinces with 48 branches and a total of 1,083 employees. Odeabank is ranked 10th among Türkiye’s largest private deposit banks by asset size. Odeabank holds assets totaling 62.2 billion Turkish lira, with deposits of 43.2 billion Turkish lira, gross loans of 31.7 billion Turkish lira, and equity including supplementary capital amounting to 4.6 billion Turkish lira. As of August 2016, Bank Audi S.A.L. is the majority shareholder of Odea Bank A.Ş., joined by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as shareholders.