22 september 2023, Flor Linckens
Now on display on Unseen: minimalist architecture, a remarkable father-daughter relationship and frozen moments in the Arctic Circle
At the Unseen photography fair, which takes place this weekend (22-24 September), 72 galleries from all over the world are presenting work that conveys the versatility within the medium. In this article, we introduce three photographers presenting their work at the fair: Ali Bilge Akkaya, Eva Faché and Aneta Bartos. In the online catalogue you can find an overview of the works on display.
Ali Bilge Akkaya, Culture Center, Barcelona, Spain, 2023, x-ist
At Unseen, x-ist gallery from Istanbul is showing a duo presentation by Ali Bilge Akkaya and Sayna Soleimanpour. The Turkish artist Ali Bilge Akkaya studied Industrial Design at Yeditepe University, followed by a master's degree at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. On the fair, he presents a series of architectural photos of modern and contemporary structures in Spain and Germany, which radiate a certain timelessness at the same time. The sparse people in the image offer a sense of scale, but not so much warmth: no one really seems to connect with each other, really. The artist is particularly interested in the mathematical and geometric elements in urban architecture, with a great eye for balance and symmetry. He makes masterful use of light, contrasts, colour and tonality. Akkaya was a finalist for LensCulture's Exposure Awards (2018). His minimalist work in the booth of x-ist stands in nice contrast to the maximalist work of Sayna Soleimanpour.
Eva Faché, The Blue House Series #2, 2022, Small Projects
Small Projects from Tromsø in Norway presents work by Grete Andrea Kvaal, Eva Faché and Jet Pascua, including a collaborative project by Eva Faché and Jet Pascua. The photography series by the Belgian artist Eva Faché are often research projects that are the result of months of travel around the Arctic Circle. For instance, she spent some time in the northern parts of Norway and Finland, where she met people in very remote areas. There, she came into contact with contemporary shamanic rituals. In 2021, she completed a two-month residency program in a small village in Greenland, home to only 24 people and 200 dogs. Curiosity is an essential part of the artist's practice and in doing so, she offers us as viewers a glimpse into a world that is often unknown to us. Faché studied at NARAFI School of Photography in Brussels, followed by a master's degree at KASK in Ghent. She worked as a photojournalist for the Dutch De Volkskrant newspaper during the year in which the newspaper was voted the best newspaper in Europe.
Aneta Bartos, Air, 2018, Tommy Simoens
Polish artist Aneta Bartos has lived in New York for ten years, but still regularly returns to her birthplace Tomaszów Mazowiecki, where she was raised by her (single) father from the age of eight to sixteen. He was a professional bodybuilder and at age 68, he asked his daughter if she would capture his body before it changed shape. Her father's wish inspired Bartos to start a long-term project called "Papa". A few summers later, “Papa” evolved into a new series of portraits, “Family Portrait,” which explores the complicated relationship between a father and a daughter. The photos have a nostalgic look, making it seem as if you are looking at photographs from an old family album. But the daughter in the picture is not a little girl but an adult woman, which creates a certain disconnect and imbues the images a different meaning. Is she trying to control the passage of time, just like her father?
