Ali Alışır Turkish, b. 1978

Ali Alışır, born in Istanbul in 1978, embarked on his art education in 1996 when he received a scholarship from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Yeditepe University. He later pursued a master's degree in photography with a specialization in digital editing at the Accademia Italiana in Florence. Throughout his career, Alışır has explored themes of desperation and helplessness that individuals experience in a world saturated with media, particularly focusing on the virtual and artificial realms that emerge in response to the digital age.

His previous exhibitions, including "Virtual Bodies," "Virtual Places," "Virtual Wars," and "Virtual Landscapes," delved into the complexities of the virtual world and its impact on society. These exhibitions closely examined the overwhelming presence of digital media and its effects on individuals.

Alışır's upcoming exhibition in North America, titled "Melez Ruhlar" or "Hybrid Souls," is a photographic series that explores the collective stress experienced in contemporary culture. The artist portrays his subjects' pursuit of peace amidst the intricate and fast-paced nature of modern life. Through physical movement, Alışır reflects the inner conflicts individuals face. The hybrid bodies depicted in his photographs blend and intertwine, making it impossible to focus on any one individual subject. By layering human bodies, Alışır aims to examine societal issues that manifest in various forms and across different fields, such as philosophy, sociology, literature, and cinema. These hybrid human bodies symbolize the separate yet interconnected struggles of individuals, creating a chaotic harmony that defies the complexities of modern-day life.

 

Ali Alışır's works have been displayed in numerous private and public collections, including the Istanbul Modern Art Museum, the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Turkey, and 94 embassies around the world. His art explores the contemporary human experience and offers thought-provoking reflections on the challenges of the digital age and its impact on society.