OBNOXIOUSLY HAPPY, 2018
The exhibition, which brings together a whole fifteen years of their activity - more an introspective rather retrospective - presents a symptomatic set of the multifaceted approach to their universe which constantly blurs borders. :mentalKLINIK is an allusion to the laboratory where practice and theory coexist, as the :mental refers to the spirit and the KLINIK to practice » (Jérôme Sans). :mentalKLINIK is a Brussels-based artist duo composed of Yasemin Baydar and Birol Demir who began their collaborative practice in 1998 in Istanbul. They mainly realise immersive installations and sculptures in an experimental approach.
Their work is a mix of oxymorons and paradoxes, darkly humorous, self-contained and as much concerned with the total effect of accelerated capitalism as with the invisible politics and dynamics that define our everyday lives. :mentalKLINIK's oeuvre is droll yet can look very playful and fun while at the same time it is violent, abrasive and very questioning of the world we live in. Their works range from immersive time based installations to sculptures and objects that thwart categorisation. :mentalKLINIK has participated in internationally renowned exhibitions, including Tomorrow Now at MUDAM, Luxembourg in 2007; PuFF at ArtBasel 40; Art Unlimited in Switzerland in 2009; and solo museum shows such as FreshCut at MAK Vienna in 2013 and Co-operation Would be Highly Appreciated at SCAD Museum Georgia, USA, in 2015. Some of their solo gallery shows are That’s Fucking Awesome curated by Jerome Sans at Galerist Istanbul in 2011; Thank You For your Cooperation at Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde, Dubai in 2014; and 83% Satisfaction Guaranteed at Louise Alexander Gallery in Porto Cevro, Italy, in 2015.