deen

Cigdem Aky

Exhibition views

CV

* 1989 Munich
2009–2013 Akademie der Bildenden Künste Munich, Klasse für Malerei/Grafik, Prof. Jerry Zeniuk, Gast Prof. Myriam Holme, Thomas Scheibitz
2013–2017 Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Karlsruhe, Klasse Malerei/Grafik, master student Prof. Helmut Dorner
   
  Lives and works in Munich

Grants / Scholarships

2021 HAP-Grieshaber-Stipendium Kunstmuseum Reutlingen
  Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg
2020 Atelierförderprogramm der Landeshauptstadt München
2017 Atelierförderprogramm der Landeshauptstadt München
2015 DAAD Preis
2013 Oskar-Karl-Forster Stipendium

Solo exhibitions

2023 Capturing the Day, Dirimart, Istanbul, Turkey
  Formen und Gezeiten (Duo), Galerie im Venet Haus, Neu-Ulm
2022 Rhythmus, Bernhard Knaus Fine Art, Frankfurt a.M.
  Im Schatten der Bäume, Kunstmuseum Reutlingen
  Eine Pusteblume im Wind, Evelyn Drewes | Galerie, Hamburg
2021 Auf Wolke sieben, Kunststiftung BW, Stuttgart
2020 Duo Show mit Christian Schnurer, Kunstarkaden, Kempten
  Ein blauer Himmel, MEWO Kunsthalle, Memmingen
  Step by Step, Super+ Centercourt Galerie, München
2018 Solo show, Zweisieben, Karlsruhe
2017 Solo show, Galerie Tristan Lorenz, Frankfurt am Main
2015 Das Flechtwerk der Farbe, Studio Rose, Schondorf am Ammersee
  Kolorit, Geschwisterraum, Karlsruhe

Group exhibitions

2024 DIRIMART, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Taiwan
  Overview, Galerie Maximilian Hutz, Austria
  Art Basel Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
  ART DÜSSELDORF, Düsseldorf
2023 Just Painting, Projektraum studio. curated by Evelyn Drewes | Galerie, Hamburg
  ON AIR, Schloss Düneck currated by Evelyn Drewes | Galerie und Jan Kage, Moorrege
  Hidden Future, BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, Munich
  Art Basel, Hong Kong, China
  Neue Mitglieder der Münchener Secession, Verein für Original-Radierung, Munich
  Art Dubai, UAE
2022 Ohne Titel, Kunstmuseum zu Allerheiligen Schaffhausen, Switzerland
  Luxembourg Art Week, Bernhard Knaus Fine Art, Luxembourg
  Schön Genau, Sammlung Kunstmuseum Heidenheim
  Malerei und Objekt, Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne
  17th Contemporary Istanbul, Dirimart Galerie, Istanbul, Turkey
  Elb/Hängung #1, Villa am Elbhang, Hamburg
  Spark Art Fair, Dirimart Galerie, Vienna, Austria
2021 Dirimart Presents VIII, Dirimart, Izmir, Turkey
  Contemporary Istanbul, Dirimart, Istanbul, Turkey
  Artweeks, Akaretler Pilevneli Galerie, Istanbul, Turkey
  MISA Discoveries, St. Agnes, Berlin
  Facing the sun, Kristin Hjellegjerde Galerie, Schloss Goerne, Berlin
  WABI-SABI, Kristinhjellegjerde Galerie, London, UK
  I just paint to say I love you, Galerie Strzelski, Stuttgart
2020 Gruppenausstellung, Bernhard Knaus Fine Art, Frankfurt am Main
  salondergegenwart, Hamburg
  Bewegte Form, Bauverein AG, Darmstadt
  Baltic Art Weekend 2020, Kunsthalle Rostock
  Kabinett der abstrakten Kunst, Galerie Kristine Hamann, Wismar
  Farbraum Sweethome mit Fabian Treiber, Galerie Strzelski, Stuttgart
2019 Jahresausstellung GEDOK, Rathaus Gräfelfing
  20 Positionen, Politische Akademie Tutzing
Jahresgaben GEDOK, Munich
  COLOR ME BADD mit Christian Awe, Galerie Tristan Lorenz, Frankfurt am Main
  Group show Kunst Block Balve, Munich
  WELCOME1 mit Olga Golos GEDOK, Munich
2018 Kunst Aktuell, Städtische Galerie Rosenheim
  Hold the paper up to the light, Galerie Tristan Lorenz, Frankfurt am Main
  Half a pound of Art, Galerie Stoerpunkt, Munich
  Luxuria, Galerie Stoerpunkt, Munich
2017 ArtMagazin, Starter
  New Positions, Galerie Tristan Lorenz, Frankfurt am Main
  Roter Kunstsalon, Villa Rot, Ulm
  Kopfkino Wasserturm Dachau, Munich
  Kein_ohne_ Orgelfabrik, Durlach
2016 Gruppenausstellung 2, Galerie Tristan Lorenz, Frankfurt am Main
  Happy Little Paintings mit Margarethe Ucinski, Luis Leu, Karlsruhe
  Color Me BlindMeWo Kunsthalle, Memmingen
  Top 16, Kunstverein, Mannheim
  Künstler der Galerie, Geschwisterraum, Karlsruhe
2015 22. Künstlermesse, Regierungspräsidium, Karlsruhe
  Besetzt Ciao, Studierende Galerie auf Zeit, Karlsruhe
  Um Fünf, Kösk, Munich
2014 Asia Contemprorary Art, Galerie Artpark, Karlsruhe
2012 Die Kunst Deines Nachbarn Städtische Galerie, Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm
  Gruppenausstellung, Target Partners, Munich

PAINTING AS A DIALOGICAL PROCESS


Cigdem Aky's artistic practice is rooted in a dynamic dialogue with color. In her work, she applies paint and responds intuitively to it, allowing herself to be guided by its properties and behavior on the canvas. Her goal is to create independent color spaces through the interplay of depth, structure, and tone, which transport the viewer into emotional and multi-layered worlds.

Although her works are rooted in the figurative tradition, they have evolved over the years into an abstract visual language. At the heart of her creative process is a form she developed herself, combining geometric precision with the spontaneous gesture of the brushstroke. This recurring structure serves as a visual "vessel," giving color – inherently formless – a clear order. It enables her to focus on what particularly fascinates her: the interaction and effect of colors, their layering, and their transformations in interplay.

Color is the central element of her work and, for Aky, is not just a medium of expression but an independent actor. She is captivated by how colors interact with one another, influence each other, and create new nuances – whether through layering, transparency, or deliberate overpainting. These processes are discovered directly on the canvas, as they cannot be planned in advance. Aky consciously avoids sketches or templates to preserve the vitality and spontaneity of her creations.

Her creative process is a balancing act between control and intuition. She experiments with paint application – ranging from light and transparent to dense and opaque – while ensuring her brushstrokes remain free and vibrant. The color should appear in motion, as if the painting had just come into being. This energy and freshness are essential to her work. At the same time, she emphasizes the depth her paintings convey, drawing viewers into the piece and captivating them visually.

Cigdem Aky’s works are built on three fundamental components: depth, structure, and tone. She uses these elements to design color spaces, each carrying its own emotional character and mood. Although the geometric form in her work remains constant, each painting develops an individual expressive power through its varying color composition. The form serves as her personal signature: an element that combines methodical construction with gestural spontaneity.

Aky’s painting reflects impressions of her surroundings – urban landscapes, light atmospheres, and fleeting moments that inspire her. Each of her works tells of a specific state, emotion, or feeling. Through the rhythmic arrangement of colors and forms, a dynamic interplay emerges, inviting viewers to discover new facets and meanings in her paintings again and again.

For Cigdem Aky, painting is an ongoing exploration. With every brushstroke, she examines the possibilities of color, navigates the relationship between gesture and structure, and seeks ever-new ways to visualize emotions and experiences. Her works are more than mere compositions – they are vivid expressions of energy, depth, and movement.

Expose EN

Expose form EN
Please send me an exposé with available works and prices.