Semra Ozumerzifon

Themes of my work, either in two dimensional paintings or in three dimensional forms, change over time. My inner emotions, experiences and perceptions, are converted into an artistic expression through color, texture and form. Whether in the series of « Tears of Bosnia » which was inspired by sad social events in 1990ies or in the series of « Whirling Dervishes » depicting divine spiritual thoughts carrying me gradually from figurative to abstract in oil painting, I always concentrated on color and texture.

As I tended towards sculptural forms in recent years, color and texture still persisted in my work as a result of my long history of oil painting. As form and content developed I found it quite appealing to use media other than paint to obtain color and texture which had the potential to contribute to artistic expression. This led to a natural passage from two to three dimensional works. Fishnets captured my attention with their textures and rich color and plastic potential. I collected them from fishing villages around Istanbul. Combining them with other materials, I experimented in the search of a new artistic language. My first experiments gave way to 3D tableaux as I worked in layers. I did not paint over the fishnets ...

Semra Özümerzifon was born in Turkey. She graduated from Robert College, Istanbul in 1970.
Moving to Switzerland she attended Geneva Academy of Fine-Arts, night courses for four years, studying painting and drawing with Axel Ernst and Pascal Saini. In 2007 she returned to Istanbul.
Besides oil painting, she started working in other disciplines such as soft sculpture, using mainly discarded fishing nets in their original colors , and metal sculpture./ Her project, “Network From Rumelikavagı to Anatolia”, was exhibited in many Anatolian cities/ she moved back to Istanbul where she continues to create. She had individual expositions in Turkey and in many European cities, and participated in International Art Fairs/ Won awards at international art competitions in France and Italy, and was attributed the titles of “Associate Academician” and “Academic Knight” by International Academy Greci-Marino and Academy of Verbano/

Selected Individual Exhibitions:

2018-2019 / Open Studio weekend
2016-2017 Gallery Rooms Gallery, İstanbul/
2015 Hotel Shangri La/ Silk Road CEO group Privato echibition
2014 Open Studio/ 2013 CERModern, Ankara/ State Fine Arts Gallery Konya-ETO Gallery, Eskisehir- 2010/2011 ArtClub, Istanbul -2006/2008 State Fine Art Gallery, Konya-2007 Museum of Modern Art Gallery, Rhodes, Greece- 2002/2006 Center of Anatolian Culture in Paris, France-2004 Gallery Giovanetti, Lausanne, Switzerland-2000 Gallery Quatuor Plus Un, Geneva, Switzerland-1997/1996/1995 Cumalı Art Gallery, Istanbul-1993/1991 Loanne Art Gallery, Geneva,Switzerland,-1989 Yapi Kredi Bank Gallery, Dusseldorf, Germany- 1985 Gallery Motte, Geneva -1983 Gallery Kile, Istanbul

Selected Mixed Exhibitions and International Art Fair:

2021 Thessaloniki Contemporary Art Fair
2021 On-line exhibition - Bahariye Art Gallery Istanbul
2021 Istanbul Concept art Festival- 360 Dereceden Ask
2018 İstanbul Concept Gallery 2018 Wild Shaman Art Gallery Portland Oregon
2017 Piano for each School- a social responsability Project introduction at Sakıp Sabancı Museum, Seed concert hall
2016 Elgiz Museum Terrace sculpture Exhibitions /
2015 Armaggan Art and Design Gallery- "Ener...