Osman Dinc: Theorem

Following on from a solo exhibition in Ankara in 2012, legendary artist Osman Dinç presents new works at Pi Artworks Istanbul this January. The artist, who has been based in Paris since 1977, creates his "figurative works telling their own stories" in various materials, including metal, glass, iron, wood and concrete.

The exhibition derives its name, Theorem, from the cause-and-effect relationship that Dinc's works have with their original source, which he then sculpts into their final, minimalist form. Theorem will feature a selection of the artist's sculptural and photographic works.

Seen by many in the art world as being somewhere at the crossroads of Arte Povera and Miminalism, Dinç describes his general approach to his artistic practice and creative process as: "Sculpture is a three-dimensional examination of real space. This is why it brings with it so many figural issues to the fore - gravity, balance, suitability and durability of material are all brought together through the medium of sculpture."

For Dinç, iron has long been one of his key media when it comes to sculpture. He explains: "When I wanted to improve my knowledge of iron, which I have been using quite often over the last few years, I learnt many things (apart from the iron oxide we carry in our red blood cells). I examined the Iron Age, taking me back some four, five thousand years. Now I also know that we live in a celestial body which stores 40 percent of the world's iron and nickel in its core. Moreoever, I learnt that there is iron in the bodies of ancient, collapsed stars - iron is durable; iron atoms are the longest-lasting atoms in the entire universe.

"For me, it is the idea of construction and deconstructionthat embodies humanity - from the Iron Age to the modern era we live in. Every material I use has its own history, and leaves a trace within our collective memory. As an artist, I need to progress alongside the history of a material, and in using something like iron, there is an act of archaelology - an act of preserving forgotten collective memories. The characteristics and age of the iron - as well as the other materials I use - are important. Whether working on a sculpture on my own, or overseeing their production on machines, depending on their size, I reflect on the experiences of the great masters who have gone before, as well as seeking to look ahead to the next generation. As Oscar Wilde once so eloquently said, "The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible."