Bio
Mert Acar (b. 1989, Ankara) graduated from Hacettepe University Department of Graphics in 2012. He studied at Saint-Luc Liège École Supérieure des Arts as an exchange student during his BFA. Later he completed his MFA at Gazi University Department of Painting in 2017 and started his Proficiency in Art Program at the same institution. He is based in Ankara and works as a research assistant. He's represented by Vision Art Gallery in İstanbul.
His works are based on photography-oriented series, installations and projects. In the context of continual spatial transformation, he focuses on transitional landscapes located between urban and rural. His main subjects are buildings, structures, roads, surfaces and landscapes, a combination of globalized and unidentified spatial similarities, in which traces of the local have become obscured. His practice is not reduced to narratives visualized through photography. Rather, he defines his photographic approach as a non- linear method of creating and thinking in which he explores the spatiality of the indefinite and transient.
Solo Shows
2020 Absence / Cermodern, Ankara, TR
2018 Placeholder / Subjectively Objective, Detroit, US
2016 Flashers On / Torun, Ankara, TR
2016 Placeholder / METU, Ankara, TR
2018 Placeholder / Subjectively Objective, Detroit, US
2016 Flashers On / Torun, Ankara, TR
2016 Placeholder / METU, Ankara, TR
Selected Group Shows
2022 Remedy for the Soul / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
2022 Döngü / Gru Art Gallery, İzmir, TR
2022 Hits Different / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
2022 Not Behind The Scenes / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
2022 Maybe Later / Sığınak, Ankara, TR
2021 BASELECTED / Tophane-i Âmire, İstanbul, TR
2021 Temas Darağaç 6 / Umurbey Mahallesi, İzmir, TR
2021 TAYFA 35 / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
2021 No Room for a Door / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
2020 Akbank 38th Contemporary Artists / Akbank Sanat, İstanbul, TR
2020 Yol / Müze Evliyagil Art Oda, Ankara, TR
2019 Planetary Dysphoria / Generation and Display, London, UK
2019 Printed'19 Multiple Choice / Mixer Galeri, İstanbul, TR
2018 Akbank 36th Contemporary Artists / Akbank Sanat, İstanbul, TR
2018 Mixer Sessions III / Mixer Galeri, İstanbul, TR
2018 Mekan Atölye V / Cermodern, Ankara, TR
2018 Sweet Little Lies / Plato Sanat, İstanbul, TR
2017 BASE / Galata Rum Okulu, İstanbul, TR
2017 Mekan Atölye IV / Cermodern, Ankara, TR
2017 Urban Obscura / Siyah Beyaz Galeri, Ankara, TR
2017 Mamut Art Project / KüçükÇiftlik Park, İstanbul, TR
2016 Mekan Atölye III / Cermodern, Ankara, TR
2016 Locus Mahal / Versus Art Project, İstanbul, TR
2015 ODTÜ Sanat 16 / METU, Ankara, TR
2022 Maybe Later / Sığınak, Ankara, TR
2021 BASELECTED / Tophane-i Âmire, İstanbul, TR
2021 Temas Darağaç 6 / Umurbey Mahallesi, İzmir, TR
2021 TAYFA 35 / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
2021 No Room for a Door / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
2020 Akbank 38th Contemporary Artists / Akbank Sanat, İstanbul, TR
2020 Yol / Müze Evliyagil Art Oda, Ankara, TR
2019 Planetary Dysphoria / Generation and Display, London, UK
2019 Printed'19 Multiple Choice / Mixer Galeri, İstanbul, TR
2018 Akbank 36th Contemporary Artists / Akbank Sanat, İstanbul, TR
2018 Mixer Sessions III / Mixer Galeri, İstanbul, TR
2018 Mekan Atölye V / Cermodern, Ankara, TR
2018 Sweet Little Lies / Plato Sanat, İstanbul, TR
2017 BASE / Galata Rum Okulu, İstanbul, TR
2017 Mekan Atölye IV / Cermodern, Ankara, TR
2017 Urban Obscura / Siyah Beyaz Galeri, Ankara, TR
2017 Mamut Art Project / KüçükÇiftlik Park, İstanbul, TR
2016 Mekan Atölye III / Cermodern, Ankara, TR
2016 Locus Mahal / Versus Art Project, İstanbul, TR
2015 ODTÜ Sanat 16 / METU, Ankara, TR
Art Fairs
2022 CI 17th / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
2022 CI Bloom / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
2021 CI 16th / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
2021 CI 15th / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
2021 CI 16th / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
2021 CI 15th / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR
Printed Matter
2018 Monthly Monograph Issue 9 / Subjectively Objective
Awards & Shortlists
2018 Lucie Foundation Fine Art Scholarship (Shortlist)
2017 International Photography Grant 2nd Edition (Shortlist)
2017 International Photography Grant 2nd Edition (Shortlist)
2016 International Photography Awards 2016 (Mention)
Features & Interviews
2023 TRT2
2019 Seen Magazine
2018 Warhola Mag
2018 Plato Sanat Blog
2018 Artful Living
2017 International Photography Magazine
2017 Manifold
2017 Fabrika 3
2017 Tourist
2017 Eyescape Magazine (Connections)
2017 PHROOM Magazine
2017 Orta Format
2016 iGNANT
2016 Archive Collective Magazine
2016 C41 Magazine
2016 Eyescape Magazine (Scenario)
2018 Warhola Mag
2018 Plato Sanat Blog
2018 Artful Living
2017 International Photography Magazine
2017 Manifold
2017 Fabrika 3
2017 Tourist
2017 Eyescape Magazine (Connections)
2017 PHROOM Magazine
2017 Orta Format
2016 iGNANT
2016 Archive Collective Magazine
2016 C41 Magazine
2016 Eyescape Magazine (Scenario)