Seçil Erel is a Turkish-British artist based in London with studios in both London and Istanbul.
The artist, who creates powerful abstract artworks, aims not only to connect reality with the unknown beyond it but also to guide viewers to imagine, feel, and think, while stimulating their inner creativity.
received her bachelor's and master’s degrees from the Painting Department at Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts. Throughout her career, which has led to international recognition, she has participated in numerous international group exhibitions, fairs, symposiums, workshops, and artist residency programs through collaborations with various individuals and institutions, in addition to significant solo exhibitions. In 2016, the Istanbul Graphic Museum “IMOGA” published a book about the artist.
In pursuit of adding more value to her life and work, she decided to move to London. Erel has completed the Artist Business Development training program offered by the London Creative Network and the EU scholarship.
She has been accepted for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 2021 and the year after, Fatos Ustek’s selection curatorial exhibition "Reduction to Satire”, NADA, New York. Erel believes that awareness of one’s own creativity and potential serves as a guiding principle for a better future, both individually and collectively. Each piece she creates expresses a series of emotions while representing a range of physical, mental, and energetic resonance fields. The artist aims to spread a higher awareness, intending to ensure collective consciousness and well-being. In 2020, Below she initiated the Seçil Erel Art Club based on volunteerism, through which she collaborates with art enthusiasts.
Web site: www.secilerel.com
www.secilartstudio.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secilerelstudio/
Seçil Erel secil@secilerel.com
Huma Kabakcı (b. London, 1990) is a Turkish-British curator, writer, custodian of a family collection, and former founding director of Open Space Contemporary, living and working in London. She graduated with her BA in Advertising and Marketing at the London College of Communication. She completed her MA & MPhil degrees in Curating Contemporary Art at the Royal College of Art, London. Kabakci has worked in many capacities at commercial galleries, biennials, museums, and auction houses in the UK, Turkey, and internationally. Her curatorial interest lies in creating immersive experiences and a broader dialogue in collaboration with multidisciplinary practitioners. Kabakci’s key areas of interest and knowledge focus on diaspora, gender and identity politics, social impact, food as a medium, and hospitality
She is currently studying for her second MA in Anthropology of Food (part-time) at SOAS, London, and guest lectures at Sotheby’s Institute, specifically on collection management and the global market. Alongside running her substack page called @curiouscurator, Kabakci is a contributor to STIR magazine, a supporter of Gasworks and a Benefactor of Nottingham Contemporary.