Ramazan Can and Cem Sonel at Anne Laude at Art Cologne. When does a carpet become an art object?

Ramazan Can and Cem Sonel with Anne Laudel at Art Cologne.

Dusseldorf, 31 August 2023

Gallery owner Anne Laudel exhibits Ramazan Can and Cem Sonel's joint artwork at Art Cologne.

When does a carpet become an art object?

Ramazan Can Solo Show 2021 Anna Laudel Istanbul Courtesy of the artist and Anna Laudel gallery. Photo by Kayhan Kaygusuz

Düsseldorf, 17 August 2023: The two artists Ramazan Can and Cem Sonel have produced a joint work especially for Art Cologne. They are represented there by the gallery owner Anne Laudel, who is based in Istanbul and also in Düsseldorf's old town. Cem Sonel already exhibited at the Düsseldorf gallery this spring in a solo show.

Art Cologne will take place from 16 to 19 November 2023. It is considered one of the most established and oldest fairs in Central Europe. Gallery owner Anna Laudel has been selected to show two of her emerging artists in the fair's Collaborations sector, whose works attract special attention due to their innovative qualities and multi-media dimensions.

When does a carpet become an art object? Does art take precedence over craft, due to an established hierarchy?

The artwork of Ramazan Can and Cem Sonel is based on anatomical carpet art, one of the most important cultural assets. In their collaboration, Ramazan Can and Cem Sonel deal with the question of where the boundary between art and craft lies in this respect: What meaning is attributed to the carpet in a conventional context and when does it become an art object and no longer just a handcrafted product?

Can has been working with textiles from his family's archive since the beginning of his career. The processing with concrete can be understood as a symbol of the changes and expansion of the urban areas of Ankara that accompanied the artist's youth. Cem Sonels began his work on the streets of Ankara and is now a celebrated street artist. His works, whether LED installations or abstract sculptures, always refer to their site-specific environment and revitalise it.

The new artwork they show will consist of forgotten crafts and new technologies: Concrete, carpet, neon and LED installations determined by algorithms

The patterns and motifs anchored in familiar cultural heritage take on new meaning through the work of the two artists and can herald a new understanding of old traditions.

Anna Laudel will be in the Collaborations sector of Art Cologne in Hall 11.2, Aisle A, Stand No. 304 from 16.11-19.11.2023.