Serhat was born in 1954 in Istanbul. Lives and works in Istanbul.
Serhat Kiraz’s installations make multi-dimensional requests on the
perceptual and conceptual powers of the viewer. Kiraz visualizes art
not only as an object of perception but also as an object of philosophy.
On a basis of an analytic, elemental and constructive strategy he
produces installations which successfully combines reality with fiction,
reason with phantasy, orientation with a determined goal.
His installations invite the viewer to walk in and around to
appreciate the plurality of messages and images, to enjoy the variety
and changeability of forms. Kiraz is primarily concerned with the
philosophical background of his work which is based on the idea
that however complex and different the cultures seem to be they are
stemming from one source and should be evaluated as a whole; which
in fact a visionary idea thatr heralded globalization as early as 80’s.
He accumulates his thoughts into each work so that all his works
seem to be re-constructing his ideas. The space comes as a secondary
concern. He utilizes the space in an open manner using its conceptual
or historical content as a background for his installation. He rather
behaves like an architect building a secondary construction within
a primary construction. The relation of the installation to the given
space is always discreet, harmonious and organic. Still the installation
activates the space and transforms it into a fictitious atmosphere.
In relation to this significant characteristic his installations require
perfection, precision and quality which he provides with a careful
selection of materials and perfect manufacturing of elements.
The installations usually consist of a constructive and supporting
framework such as scaffolding, palette or wooden boxes which
embrace the conceptual space and its components of objects or
images that precisely refer to world cultures, science and technology.
These constituents are eventually assembled into an explorative and
speculative whole with an intermediary light.
(Beral Madra)
The numbers have a special place in Serhat Kiraz’s artworks. The diverse symbolic meanings of numbers
in different cultures, their ties with the existence and creation, as well as their static and dynamic
relations with the geometric abstractions are the main theme of his multidisciplinary art production.
Numbers are not only numeral abstractions but contain various layer of meanings. Serhat Kiraz, on
this work dating 2018, allocated different colours for each number and juxtaposed them on a complex
composition which creates a visual form that allows detecting the singularity of each number. Here the
numbers are to be perceived not only just as numerical representation but together with their relation
to the universe and the meanings they historically, culturally and sociologically represent. Inside this
layered composition that is reminiscent of the historical layers, the viewer can pick and focalise on a
singular number and start reflecting on its manifold meanings about the past and the future.
The visual elements of Serhat Kiraz’s work “Number” are layers, numbers and colours and those
elements well correspond to the juxtaposed historical and civilisational layers of Troy and to the colours
and numbers that are used to categorize and translate those layers into the language of the science
and knowledge. It connotates with the visual representations that accompany our visit on the Historical
Site of Troy where interlocking and overlapping archaeological layers create a chaotic yet systematical
representation of the knowledge.
