Renowned Turkish-Taiwanese contemporary artist ANQI (Melek Anqi), inspired by Far Eastern culture, known for the popular cat character Hiromita, will be at the 18th Contemporary Istanbul! ANQI, who spent her childhood in Taiwan and Turkey and completed her master’s degree at Yale University in the United States, will be offering a preview at Tersane Istanbul on September 26-27 this year and will be open for general visitation from September 28 to October 1 at the fair. ANQI will present not only the paintings of the wild and adorable tile cat Hiromita but also her sculptures, which will be exhibited for the first time, to art enthusiasts. ANQI’s exclusive Hiromita selection for Contemporary Istanbul can be visited at the T8 – 05 booth of South Korean AB Gallery Korea.

The Hiromita character created by ANQI, whose childhood was spent in Taiwan and Turkey and who completed her master’s degree at Yale University in the USA, takes inspiration from “tile cats/wamao,” sculptures believed to be placed on rooftops in China, which are thought to ward off evil and bring luck to homes, as well as from comic books she learned in Chinese during her childhood in Taiwan. The artist interprets this belief in China by depicting a tiger-spirited cat with frightening teeth that consumes the inner emptiness created by modern life and gives back love and connection. Through the Hiromita character, ANQI encourages viewers to embrace their individuality without succumbing to the acceptance of others and to celebrate their uniqueness, emphasizing that what makes each of us unique and beautiful are our differences. The recurring faces and compositions in the artist’s works represent not bending oneself to conform but sharing one’s differences with variable colors and material usage, symbolizing self-ownership.

ANQI’s works reference popular culture and analytical psychology and are influenced by various factors such as ancient Greek philosophy, Central American shamanic teachings, archetypal psychology, Chinese culture, and Japanese comics.

ANQI embraces both traditional and digital techniques, creating visually striking and evocative pieces by synthesizing Asian and Western cultures. ANQI, who processes the captivating character Hiromita in various forms such as digital painting/NFT, mixed-media painting, and sculpture, likens Hiromita’s journey, which began as a digital painting, to transform into mixed-media physical paintings, and then into sculptures, to the adventure of turning one’s essence inward and connecting it with the world.

The artist started production of the Hiromita sculptures in the second half of 2023. With the Hiromita sculptures, ANQI visualizes the inherent potential, the desire that is unique and individual, and the creativity of each person. The Hiromita sculptures, along with ANQI’s recent Hiromita paintings, will be presented for the first time at Contemporary Istanbul.

ANQI, who will meet art enthusiasts at the T8 – 05 booth of AB Gallery Korea during the 18th Contemporary Istanbul, will also hold various Hiromita exhibitions in South Korea, starting with Seoul, in the spring of 2024.

For more information: instagram.com/anqiartworks, instagram.com/hiromita_by_anqi, abgallery.kr/CI23-ANQI

ABOUT ANQI Contemporary artist ANQI (Melek Anqi Kocasinan/高安琪) is a Turkish-Taiwanese artist known for her vibrant abstract paintings and the character Hiromita. Beginning her education in Taiwan and continuing it in Turkey and the USA at UCLA and Yale University, ANQI pursued fashion design and illustration studies at ESMOD International Fashion Academy after completing her master’s degree at Yale. Her works have been exhibited internationally in cities such as New York, Istanbul, and Seoul, including at Contemporary Istanbul. ANQI discovered her interest in art when she started drawing Chinese characters like paintings during her childhood in Taiwan. Introduced to Asian art at a young age, she was also influenced by the visual pop culture of Taiwan, filled with colorful packaging, comic books, and anime characters. As one of the prominent young representatives of contemporary Asian art, the artist continues her work primarily between Turkey, America, and Taiwan. ANQI’s works have been featured in various publications, including Robb Report, Art Emperor, ArtDog Istanbul, Onedio, Anadolu Ajansı, Benzinga, Yahoo Finance, the Taiwan Ministry of Culture website, and Milliyet Sanat.

ANQI’s popular cat character, Hiromita, was first exhibited in New York at NowHere Gallery in 2022. In early 2023, the artist created a special Hiromita collection for the global fintech company CoolBitX. The collection served as a brand-artist collaboration that increased ANQI’s international recognition. Hiromita, previously exhibited at Deppo29 Art Gallery and ArtAnkara, is set to meet Korean art enthusiasts in different cities in South Korea in 2024.

ABOUT AB GALLERY KOREA Established in June 2002, AB Gallery Korea has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions at international art fairs such as Art Paris, Art Karlsruhe, Contemporary Istanbul, Art Ankara, and Art Festa Jeju. Operating in various parts of the world, AB Gallery Korea is one of the most active Korean galleries introducing Korean and European artists to the local and global markets.