Hilmi Can Özdemir : Paradoxia Series

The word paradox is derived from the Latin word paradoxum. Paradoxum, comes from the Greek word paradoxos. This word is a combination of the words para -against- and doxa -belief-. Hence, paradox, from the origins of the word, has the meaning of counter-belief or opposing view.

Paradoxes relate to statements or concepts that appear to be logically contradictory. Such statements emphasize an aspect of an idea or concept that is difficult or complex to understand at first glance. Paradoxes are important tools that test our ability to think and sometimes help us to understand concepts more deeply. This is why they are used in many fields such as art, literature and philosophy. Therefore, the cell of a biological algae family PARADOXIA is so named because its appearance resembles spiral structures with fine spines or hairs and they play a major role in the nutrient cycle with the aquatic ecosystem. In this context, the word PARADOX as an abstract concept is integrated with the works in the exhibition in relation to the concrete word PARADOXIA.

Every time you step as a time traveler into a crack in the fabric of time, you find yourself in a labyrinth where the past is trapped and the future is lost in uncertainty. Paradoxes are centered on the bizarre conflicts that make up the enigmatic fabric of time. The search for a balance between past and future, the ambition to discover the unknown draws you in. Memories intertwine and you question the meaning of time. Every experience can turn into a memory, a dream into a reality. Paradoxes bring together memories and moments, reveal contradictions and push the sharp boundaries of time.

Each work in the Paradoxia series is a fragment of time. Each figure and space is a story of recorded time. And every paradox is a reality that comes to life in the mind of a time traveler. Paradoxes remind us that time can be an illusion. Therefore, we live time in every moment, we lose it in every moment, we can recreate it in every moment.

Time travel reminds us of the existence of a balance while paradoxes remind us of the complexity of time, the contradictions of moments and traces of the past. Every painting is part of a time, an echo of the past or the future. Every painting bears the trace of a journey. In this context Paradoxia series focuses on the relationship between contradictions and temporal journeys and acts as a mirror, a window that expresses time. It captures time, freezes it and moves it. The attempt to analyze paradoxes begins with the viewer. Each viewer finds themselves in front of the work, based on their accumulated knowledge, they embark on different quests and makes various inferences. While searching for the mysteries between time and paradoxes, they confront contradictions and absurdities and become a part of their own journey.

The evolution of our inner and outer worlds over time is considered to be the inspiration for our thoughts and life experiences. PARADOXIA, however, starts with nostalgic blurred colors of the past and continues with the vivid colors of the present moment. Each composition in the works tries to make comparisons in the viewer’s mind with past memories, present and subconscious. This series is a glimpse into the depths of time; wandering through the darkness of the past, the vibrancy of the present moment and the uncertainty of the future, it aims for each of us to discover our own paradox. The works embrace the strange and magical texture of time, presenting absurd realities and mystery, calling each of us to create our own journey.