Bedri Baykam's conceptual show at the Proposition Gallery in New York, April 3rd, 2013

Bedri Baykam "Duchamp Would Have Been Damn Jealous" April 3 – May 12, 2013 Just in time for the 100th anniversary of The Armory Show in NYC and as surprising as Duchamp’s Urinal, The Proposition is pleased to present a conceptual show by Bedri Baykam which stands out for its striking simplicity while re-questioning thepresentation of art.

Baykam is a multi-faceted international artist who has also shown several times in New York.  Being one of the pioneers of new expressionism in the early eighties, he has developed his art in several directions which have included: videos, “live” installations which he chooses to label “Livart”, his happenings and performances, his world-wide shown “4-Ds” which are an enigmatic synthesis of several years of painterly and digital works on the lenticular surface, and his richly textured canvases which are never shy of getting in association (collaboration) with collage or graffiti, are part of his artillery. Together they create the image of a versatile and prolific artist also heavily involved in politics, especially in his country where democracy and secularism are under serious threat. The artist enjoys giving double meanings to sentences, uses words that are interpretable in various ways and all these in “his own” three languages, Turkish, French and English.  Baykam has also fabricated various “political machines” with odd names such as  “the Book Burner”, “the Torture Object”, “the Idea Machine” etc. Baykam is deeply involved with commenting on and reinterpreting art history. His pieces often refer to old masters such as David, Géricault, Delacroix, Ingres or masters of Modernism such as Picasso, Manet, Dali, Magritte, etc.  His graffiti which invaded Soho in the 80’s with its readable slogans have culminated in his motto “This Has Been Done Before” (1987) which is a sort of hat on top of post-modernism. NY critic Robert Morgan and Turkish critic Hasan Bülent Kahraman are the authors of the comprehensive catalog of the exhibition. An “on-site” last minute press release will reveal the project and give more information. Opening Reception: Wednesday, April 3th; 6 – 8pm The Proposition  2 Extra Place (@ E 1st Street off Bowery) New York, NY 10003  Tel.: +1 212 242 0035  Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 12 – 6pm  For additional information please contact Ronald Sosinski, Director