Artist pushes the boundaries of sculpture with ‘Earthly Realm’

In a new exhibition that opened on Jan. 30, Istanbul's Anna Laudel Gallery presents "Earthly Realm" by acclaimed sculptor Bilal Hakan Karakaya. Karakaya is renowned for his unique technique of using different materials, pushing the boundaries of traditional sculpture production.

Working with resin, industrial and natural waste, Karakaya reflects the impressions of individuals trapped in the chaos of modern city life on his works. The artist reinterprets the complex structure of daily life and reestablishes it by applying a symbolic approach.

The figures of the artist reflect the "alienation" of the oppressed human beings under the weight of the capitalist world. His sculptures are inspired by the reality of life and establish relationships with the past and the present.

Karakaya's unique way of using different kinds of materials, and how he incorporates them into the reproduction process, are the key features that define his art practice. He refuses to use any kind of protective tools, such as gloves, as he finds them against the nature of the sculpture. He prefers being in direct contact with the materials during the production process in order to avoid distance from the work.

There is a general tendency of "rise" in Karakaya's artworks. This upward trend can also be observed in his works in "Earthly Realm" showcased across three floors at Anna Laudel.

The exhibition, with a different story on each floor, opens to the audience's experience with Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, as in Dante's "Divine Comedy." In the exhibition, Karakaya reverses the usual static structure of the sculpture and turns it upside down; with this way structures that need to be thinned as it rises in this way, are gradually thickening and enlarging.