ANNA LAUDEL

The artist duo Ertuğrul Güngör and Faruk Ertekin grew up in Kütahya, a city celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and long-standing ceramic traditions. Drawing from this rich legacy, they use ceramics to investigate themes of identity, heritage, culture, memory, belonging, and transformation. At the heart of their practice lies a profound use of ceramics as a vehicle for emotional and cultural expression. Güngör and Ertekin reimagine the art of ceramics by blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design elements. Their work is inspired by a diverse array of imagery from the early Republican period, including oil paintings, Iznik tiles, traditional women’s motifs, and ceramic art. By merging these traditional motifs with modern figures, they create works that resonate across time, honoring both the past and the present. Despite ceramics‘ delicate nature, they infuse robust textures influenced by literary and visual culture, underscoring the dynamic evolution of cultural heritage. For SPARK 2025, the duo’s new series explores the intricate interplay of personal harmonies and dualities, weaving together mythological narratives with contemporary symbols of resistance. Through their evocative works, they explore the timeless tension between love and conflict. Ertuğrul Güngör and Faruk Ertekin invite viewers to reflect on timeless narratives and modern struggles, creating a compelling dialogue between tradition and contemporary art. This fair marks a pivotal moment in their careers, being their debut solo presentation at an art fair, preceding their first solo exhibition in Europe at Anna Laudel Düsseldorf, titled „Fired Together: From One Clay, Two Vessels Form“ running from April 4 to June 7, 2025.

Ertugrul Güngör Born in Kütahya in 1994, Ertugrul Güngör completed his studies in the Painting Department of Kütahya Fine Arts High School before continuing his education in the Ceramics Department of Akdeniz University’s Faculty of Fine Arts. While pursuing his master’s degree in ceramics at the same university, he creates contemporary works that merge traditional and pop culture. Faruk Ertekin Born in Kütahya in 1994, Faruk Ertekin graduated from the Painting Department of Kütahya Fine Arts High School and later completed his studies in the Graphic Design Department of Akdeniz University’s Faculty of Fine Arts. He has worked in fields such as illustration, mural art, and digital media design. By combining ceramics and digital media, he produces unique works. The artist duo Ertugrul Güngör & Faruk Ertekin, who grew up in Kütahya, reflect on the old memories of their city and the history of the ceramic materials they use. They seek a new language by using design elements relevant to the present. For Ertuğrul and Faruk, art represents a creative journey shaped by the desire to transcend traditional boundaries. Despite referencing the fragility of ceramic material, the duo balances strong foundations with historical and literary references, reflecting the equilibrium between the material and the style used. In their works, the artists use underglaze and overglaze painting techniques on tile and ceramic surfaces and three- dimensional forms, along with freehand techniques. Their works engage with traditional art motifs while establishing a mental dialogue with contemporary figures. Traditional patterns create new semantic layers on the surface of the works, while the figures offer viewers an intellectual exploration that pushes the boundaries of tradition.

Anna Laudel was founded in 2012 and is now located in the heart of Beyoğlu, Gümüşsuyu in Istanbul. Since the opening of the gallery, Anna Laudel has been striving to become one of the leading dynamic contemporary art centres in Istanbul, yet to also represent a wide range of artists, in terms of social and cultural background, age and of course in terms of artistic styles and media. Founded by Anna Laudel with the intention of promoting Turkish emerging as well as established artists, but also a selection of international artists with for instance German or Italian backgrounds, the gallery developed a strong stance in the art world under the direction of Ferhat Yeter. Istanbul, a city spreading across two continents, an international metropolis, where not only East meets West, but also many different cultures coexist, is both a thriving and constantly evolving environment for a gallery seeking to extend their artists to a diverse audience. Following its first location in Istanbul, Anna Laudel opened its second gallery in Düsseldorf (Germany) in 2019 to further its international outreach. Soon after, in May 2022, a third gallery was inaugurated in Bodrum, Turkey, in Zai Yaşam, allowing for yet another audience and an interesting location to host mostly solo exhibitions. The gallery established a large audience around its locations of Bodrum, Istanbul and Düsseldorf, in recent years also gained further recognition internationally by participating in various high-tier art fairs.