PILEVNELI

Refik Anadol was born on November 7, 1985 in Istanbul. He completed his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in Istanbul Bilgi University, Department of Communication Design in the field of Photography and Video. He then completed his master’s degree of Design Media Arts at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is still working as a lecturer and visiting fellow in the same department of UCLA.   In the early years of his career as an artist, Anadol was creating sculptures of architectural data, which he exhibited commonly in public spaces. Over time, he concentrated on major projects, in which he ‚fed‘ artificial intelligence programs with data gathered from various fields; still preferring public spaces for exhibition. Lately, he has focused on machine memory; namely ways in which machines perceive and contemplate raw data. During his research for these projects, Anadol, in collaboration with mega institutions and corporations including NASA and Google, collects all kinds of data imaginable – be it visual, auditory, seismic, geographic, meteorological or cultural. These data, that the world and human beings create on impulse and involuntarily over the course of their lifetime, are later on served to the artificial intelligence program, which works with algorithms written specifically for the project. Thus, the artist creates data sculptures that demonstrate how technology and the machines we share our lives with comprehend and interpret the data we leave behind.   Refik Anadol, who has been in association with international corporations such as LVMH, Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, Intel, IBM and Samsung, lives and works in Los Angeles.

Founded in 2017, PILEVNELI s located in the historical district of Dolapdere in Istanbul, Turkey. A pioneer in showcasing the contemporary art scene in Istanbul, PILEVNELI conveys a fresh new spirit with an international perspective to the contemporary art scene of Istanbul and the region. The gallery building, designed by the renowned architect Emre Arolat, has a 1,500 square meter exhibition space. The five-story gallery, as an instance of revitalization, is one of the first examples of cultural and art-oriented urban transformation in the Dolapdere region. In 2018, the building of PILEVNELI gained eligibility for the shortlist in the category of culture at the World Architecture Festival. Apart from its main gallery space, Pilevneli has incorporated various different venues into its program as well as organizing and hosting exhibitions in different pop up spaces in Turkey. Focused on contemporary art, PILEVNELI carries a body of local and international artists who are unique and consistent in their practice. For over 20 years founder Murat Pilevneli has been one of the main actors of the contemporary art scene in Istanbul. He is also the founder of Turkey’s leading arts and culture publication IstanbulArtNews.