Mehmet Sinan Kuran's 'Nowhere. Now Here.' Explores Death with Humor at Anna Laudel Istanbul

Mehmet Sinan Kuran's exhibition 'Nowhere. Now Here.' at Anna Laudel in Istanbul uses humor to confront mortality. The show features 67 works across three thematic floors: Sea, Earth, and Sky. Highlights include 'Soprano Mouse' (2022), a taxidermy rodent in a ballgown performing Madame Butterfly; 'Whale I and Whale II' (2022), sculptures emitting ghostly songs; and 'Kinder Garden' (2022), with calves representing Kuran and his sister. The third floor, Sky, includes a rendering of Michelangelo's 'Creation of Adam' with a rubber hand and inflatable sex doll. Kuran, a self-taught 'notebook artist,' credits partner Sedef Ilgaz for encouraging his career. The exhibition is the final chapter of a trilogy after 'Introvert' (2018) and 'Posthumous' (2020). Kuran emphasizes collaboration, crediting craftspeople in 'Ghosts of Introvert' (2022). He engages audiences by guiding tours, encouraging Instagram posts, and offering affordable prints. Anna Laudel director Ferhat Yeter noted the installation was 'full of surprises.' The show runs at the gallery in central Istanbul.