SEMIHA BERKSOY AT FRIEZE LONDON

Galerist (Istanbul) and Vigo Gallery (London) presented a solo presentation of the work of the extraordinary Turkish artist, opera singer and cultural figure, Semiha Berksoy (1910 – 2004) for the Spotlight section of Frieze Masters, 2018.
Galerist (Istanbul) and Vigo Gallery’s (London) joint booth at Frieze Masters 2018 / Semiha Berksoy in front of one of her work ‘Salome”, 1962
Courtesy: the artist, Galerist, Istanbul and Vigo Gallery, London

Semiha Berksoy (b. 1910, Istanbul, d. 2004, Istanbul) was one of the leading cultural scene figures in the early years of the Turkish Republic and one of the first internationally recognized Turkish artists. At the age of 19, she was accepted at the Academy of Fine Arts Istanbul, where she studied ceramics. She was also a student at Darülbedayi Drama School. With a multi-faceted artistic approach, Berksoy starred in the first Turkish sound movie and performed in the first Turkish opera. After graduating from the Berlin State Music Academy, she was awarded the titles of ‘World Class Opera Singer’, ‘Prima Donna’ and ‘State Artist’. In a life dedicated to art, she also made great contributions in the field of visual arts. Istanbul-based gallery Galerist recently published her catalogue raisonné in 2017.

Selected recent solo exhibitions include Semiha Berksoy with Love, O’Art, Istanbul, TR (2017); Wall of Hallucination, Galerist, Istanbul, TR (2014); I Lived on Art, I Lived on Love, Yapı Kredi Kazım Taşkent Gallery, Istanbul, TR (2010); Retrospective, Iş Sanat Kibele Sanat Gallery, Istanbul, TR (2003).

Selected group exhibitions include Artists in Their Time, Istanbul Modern, Istanbul, TR (2015); Plurivocality, Istanbul Modern, Istanbul, TR (2014); Past and Future, Istanbul Modern, Istanbul, TR (2013); 9th Shanghai Biennale, Shanghai, CN (2012); Dream and Rea- lity, Istanbul Modern, Istanbul, TR (2012); Istanbul Next Wave, Akade- mie der Künste, Berlin, DE (2009); Gender Battle, CGAC, Santiago de Compostela, ES (2007); Venice – Istanbul, Istanbul Modern, Istanbul, TR (2006); 51st Venice Biennale, Ve- nice, IT (2005); Zeitwenden, Kunstmuseum Bonn, DE/ Museum Moderner Kunst, Vienna, AT (1999/2000); Mani- festa II, Luxembourg, LU (1998); 5th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, Turkey (1997); Iskorpit, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, DE (1995).