Elif Uras: The Box

10 Feb-22 Apr 2017

Overview

Pippy Houldsworth Gallery is pleased to present a new work in The Box by Turkish artist Elif Uras.

The paintings and ceramic works of Uras explore the transformation of gender roles within Turkish society. Uras' work in The Box merges traditional, decorative patterns from Turkish ceramic making with figurative Western imagery. Rendered in minuscule detail, the woman at the centre of the work is depicted in a state of contemplation whilst sat at a canvas. Made in Iznik, celebrated for its fabrication of tiles and ceramics during the Ottoman Empire, Déjà Vu (Hayal Meyal) (2016) places the female figure centre stage; contrary to its patriarchal history, women have begun to play a major role in both the management and labor of ceramic production in Turkey. This allusion to change is reflected in the work's title, Hayal Meyal, which refers to a state of indeterminacy between dreaming and reality. The image of the woman, paintbrush in hand, also resonates with Artemisia Gentileschi's Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting (1639) and its own exploration of gender identity and empowerment.