About

Bio

Mert Acar (b. 1989, Ankara) is a contemporary artist from Turkey working with photography, video, and installation art. His work revolves around architectural and landscape elements within transitional spaces, exploring themes and concepts such as memory, transformation, placelessness, anonymity, and temporality at the intersection of natural and built environments. His lens-based art practice also serves as the foundation for his installations, where photographic imagery becomes both a material and a conceptual framework.

He completed his BFA (2012) in Graphics Department at Hacettepe University and spent a semester as an exchange student at Saint-Luc Liège in Belgium. He holds both a MFA (2017) and a DFA (2023) from Painting Department of Gazi University. Based in Ankara, he lectures in Visual Arts Department at AHBV University. He's represented by Vision Art Platform in İstanbul.

Solo Shows

2024 A Fading Distance / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR

2020 Absence / Cermodern, Ankara, TR
2018 Placeholder / Subjectively Objective, Detroit, US
2016 Flashers On / Torun, Ankara, TR
2016 Placeholder / METU, Ankara, TR

Selected Group Shows

2024 Ağaçlar Konuşunca / Cendere Sanat, İstanbul, TR

2024 Olimpos Sergileri 3: Enteriyör / Karaköy, İstanbul, TR

2024 Displacement I / Odd Art Space, Tekirdağ, TR

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 001 / Nue Galeri, Ankara, 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, Izmir, 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 İyi Saatte Olsunlar with Pelesiyer / Hayy Açık Alan, İzmir, TR
2019 Planetary Dysphoria / Art Elsewhere, 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

Education

2023 Doctor of Fine Arts / Painting, Gazi University, Ankara, TR

2017 Master of Fine Arts / Painting, Gazi University, Ankara, TR

2012 Bachelor of Fine Arts / Graphics, Hacettepe University, Ankara, TR

2011 Exchange Program / Graphics, Saint-Luc Liège, Liège, BE

Artist Residency

Ongoing SAHA Studio / İMÇ, İstanbul, TR

Biennials

2018 4th Mardin Biennial with Pelesiyer / Mardin, TR

Selected Art Fairs

2024 CI 19th / Vision Art Platform, İstanbul, TR

2024 Photo London / Vision Art Platform, London, UK