ARTIST AT WORK

OUDE KERK AMSTERDAM – GULER ATES

From 22-09-2016 Until 16-10-2016

Güler Ates’ new works at Oude Kerk will focus on the history and architecture of this stunning church through photography. She was struck by its beautiful interior, the scale of the Church and the quality of light which offers a new direction for her work. Ates is drawn to Dutch Old Master paintings and Dutch architecture. The darkness and intensity of her works are reminiscent of these masters of painting. She wants to question the relationship between the veil and the West, and by setting the female veiled figure within an European interior she subtly refers to the West’s interpretation of the veiled woman and refers back to the European traditions of veiled women as found in the work of Old Masters such as Vermeer.

Ates sources the fabric and makes all of the luscious silk costumes worn by the model. She photographs after scrupulous research into the history of the building. It is up to the spectator to discover the relationship between the figure and the location itself and trace the unfolding narrative.

Güler Ates is particularly interested in the interior of the Oude Kerk because of its evocative appeal for the staging of images. While implementing the project she will use only natural light, which will give her the opportunity to explore the effect of the light falling from different angles through the medieval stained glass.

Previously, Ates made a series of work at Huis te Warmond and she will be extending the subject matter through new works at the Museum Van Loon in September 2016.

 

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