In the 80th episode of the Evolution of Art program, Narin İrem Kıran, one of the remarkable painters of the younger generation, met with art writer and curator Günsu Saraçoğlu for a comprehensive conversation under the roof of Evrim Art Gallery. The program reached the audience on Türkiye Haber Portalı websites and YouTube channel.
Artist Narin İrem Kıran, born in Ankara, began her art education at Ankara Anatolian Fine Arts High School and continued at Hacettepe University Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Painting. Having strengthened her academic background by working for many years in the private sector in the fields of illustration, storyboarding, character, and concept design, Kıran is now stepping into a new artistic period centered on her painting practice.
From East to West, from Tradition to Surrealism
In the program, the artist’s production practice was discussed through surrealist images, Anatolian themes, and the unique connection she established with Minhwa, the traditional Korean folk art. Having received calligraphy and painting training in South Korea, Kıran is officially recognized as an artist by Korean Calligraphy Associations and is among the rare Turkish artists who have won international awards in this field.
During the conversation, Kıran evaluated the process of synthesizing the strict rules of Korean traditional art with Anatolian culture through the power of art to build a universal bridge. The artist emphasized that she consciously obscures the concept of time in her works, creating a fluid narrative between past, present, and future.
An Inner Journey “Through the Explorer’s Eye”
Evolution of Art also detailed the artist’s first solo exhibition, “Stargazer’s Eye/ Kaşif’in Gözünden,” which was held under the Hiromita Project, established by ANQI at Artnouva. In the exhibition, Kıran, who transforms the viewer from a mere observer into a part of the narrative, draws attention with her symbolic language built upon hope, time, memory, and human conditions. The “Explorer” figure in the exhibition stands out as a metaphor representing both the artist and the viewer, one that remains in the moment and observes time.
Art as a Playground
Throughout the conversation, Kıran expressed that she sees art, by her own definition, as a “playground”; and that she consciously embraced the trial-and-error process while transitioning from disciplines with rules to a free painting practice. She also shared her goal to continue the “Explorer” series in different techniques, spaces, and international platforms in the coming years.
A Thanks, A Beginning
At the end of the program, the artist made an emotional closing by thanking her family, especially her mother, who has supported her on her artistic journey since her childhood. Günsu Saraçoğlu emphasized that this conversation will take its place as a valuable archival record in the career journey of a young artist.
Evolution of Art – Episode 80 offers an important meeting point for art lovers who wish to witness the multi-layered world of a young artist.
