Flow

TUFAN BALTALAR

5 NOVEMBER - 14 DECEMBER

PİLOT is pleased to announce Tufan Baltalar's solo exhibition titled ‘Flow’. Baltalar's most comprehensive exhibition to date, featuring almost one hundred pieces of new ceramic works, will be on view at PİLOT Gallery between 5 November - 14 December.

Tufan Baltalar’ current ceramic works represent a continuation of a world he has constructed piece by piece with a dreamlike yet realistic sensitivity throughout his interdisciplinary practice. Baltalar invites contemplation on the elements of nature and personal experiences within the context of humanity's relationship with nature. In this regard, the artist's works offer a profound inquiry into the "individual" and their experiences in the world. While conveying his personal experiences, he also explores the collective and societal connections within the issues he addresses.

Baltalar’ glazed ceramic works in the forms of busts, plates, and bowls combine traditional ceramic techniques with modern representations of landscapes. Trees bent by the wind, plants swaying in the air, and drifting clouds reveal the dynamic and ever-changing relationship between nature and humanity. The artist extends his experimental approach to this technique by exploring conventional ceramic forms. The figures transcend their two-dimensional nature on the surfaces of the plates to exist in three dimensions; the ceramic surface goes beyond being merely a canvas, taking on the function of a sculpture or pedestal. Over time, the plant figures distance themselves from the plate form to declare their own independence. Plants do not just envelop the busts; we see people who are one with the plants.

Baltalar’ representations of humanity can be seen less as autobiographical expressions and more as a reference point for the individual's experience amid the conflicts between urban life and nature. In the artist's ceramic sculptures, human figures are enveloped—and perhaps even overtaken—by botanical motifs. In these scenes, instead of a struggle against their circumstances, a sense of surrender is emphasized. A serene expression of indifference appears on the figures' faces; the individual has returned to nature and surrendered themselves after intense conflicts and longing.

Tufan Baltalar’ solo exhibition titled "Flow" will open to visitors at Pilot Gallery starting November 5. In the artist's ceramic works, images featuring organic imperfections, repetitive techniques, and references to traditional forms come together. These pieces form a complex system using concepts like wind, water, clouds, and walking, reflecting Baltalar’s effort to express the relationship between nature and humanity in a poetic language. Miniature clouds, delicate leaf textures, and grass scattered by the wind are at the core of the new works influenced by the artist’s daily life. The "Flow" exhibition focuses on exploring individual lives that can become lost in the chaos of the broader flow. 

The artist states, "We chart a path from being a part of nature to being nature itself," and the exhibition will be on view at Pilot Gallery until December 14.