:MENTALKLINIK IS A BRUSSELS-BASED ARTIST DUO FROM ISTANBUL COMPOSED OF
YASEMIN BAYDAR & BIROL DEMIR WHO BEGAN THEIR COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE IN 1998.
:mentalKLINIK strides with undisguised dexterity the invisible political strategies and the social dynamics by ultra-contemporary devices of an apparent lightness. Like a discoball, :mentalKLINIK shows are a selection of their multifaceted approach on their universe. Resisting to the limitations of a single vocabulary or style, their world is a playful one full of hedonistic appeal which can be experienced as festive and glamourous but also surprising as one approaches to discover with a closer view an underlying violence suggestive of a bad trip after party or a creepy beginning of the end. Their works shift between emotional and robotic attitudes. Artist duo reclaim the sparkling and authoritative visual language of the media and night spheres in a climate of sensory hyperstimulation engendered by multiple neons, slogans, light beams, mirror balls and confetti while playing with our unanimous attraction to objects glittering and seductive. It is all the work of encryption to which they summon us, between the true and the false, the artificial and the superficial, as if everything were a case of falsification.
:mentalKLINIK has an open laboratory approach to process, production, roles, conception and presentation. Their works are a mix of oxymora and paradoxes, darkly humorous, self-contained range from immersive time based installations to sculptures and objects that thwart categorisation.
:mentalKLINIK’s experimental approach has been praised on numerous international exhibitions including Bitter Medicine#02 (Borusan Contemporary, Istanbul), curated by Necmi Sonmez, ‘FreshCut’ (MAK, Vienna_ Austrian Museum of applied Arts / Contemporary Art) curated by Marlies Wirth and ‘Co-operation Would be Highly Appreciated’ Exhibition at SCAD Museum GA, USA, curated by Storm Janse van Rensburg. They have participated in numerous international exhibitions including Istanbul Modern-Rotterdam at Boijmans van Beuningen Museum (Rotterdam, 2012), Izmir Triennial of Contemporary Art (Izmir, 2010), Tomorrow Now (MUDAM, Luxembourg, 2007), Eldorama (Tripostal, 2019) and Golden Room ( Palais des Beaux-Arts Lille 2019), They opened an introspective at La Patinoire Royale, Brussels curated by Jerome Sans in 2018. They have had major solo shows such as; That’s Fucking Awesome curated by Jerome Sans (2011) and rABBIThOLE (2009) at Galerist, Istanbul, ‘Thank You For your Cooperation (2014), ‘Truish (2017) at Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde), 83% Satisfaction Guaranteed, at Louise Alexander Gallery, ‘Catastrophically Gorgeous’ (2018) curated by Yasmina Reggad at Eugster II Belgrad, Hypermoody (2022) at Sabrina Amrani Gallery.
:mentalKLINIK
Founded in 1998
:mentalKLINIK is an artist duo
Yasemin Baydar & Birol Demir live and work in Brussels and Istanbul
Education
Yasemin Baydar (Istanbul, Turkey)
1990-2002 Mimar Sinan University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Istanbul / Turkey
Birol Demir (Ankara, Turkey)
1986-1990 Mimar Sinan University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Istanbul / Turkey
www.mentalklinik.com
EXHIBITIONS
2024
GENERATED DREAMS, Solo Show, Sabrina Amrani Gallery, Madrid, Spain
APPLE OF DISCORD, Group Show, Louise Alexander, Porto Cevro, Italy
ETHEREAL REALMS, Scenography for Marie Delprat & Aida Gabriels, Bern/ Basel/ Rotterdam/ Brugge/ Glasgow
KAĞIT ÜZERİNE / ON PAPER, Group Show, Curated by Levent Çalıkoğlu, İstanbul, Turkey
Y SI MADRID FUERA MI CASA, Group Show, Project by Joel Andrianomearisoa, Sabrina Amrani Gallery, Madrid, Spain
2023
:mentalKLINIK STAGE, ‘VIOLENTLY JOYFUL’, Mazarine Group, Paris, France
SPECTRES OF FUTURE, Espace Triphase, Curated by Zoé Van den Boogaerde, Brussels, Belgium
SPECTRES OF FUTURE, DOEL FESTIVAL, Curated by Zoé Van den Boogaerde, Doel, Belgium
PARADISE ON SALE, Solo Show at DİRİMART, İstanbul, Turkey
BOULEVARD JACQMAIN, Group Show, Curated by Olivia Ardui, Nadine, Brussels, Belgium
2022
:mentalKLINIK STAGE, ‘OBNOXIOUSLY HAPPY, 47 MINUTES’ at Eugster II Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
CHRONIQUES BIENNALE OF DIGITAL IMAGINATION 2022, AFTER PARTY, Curated by Mathieu Vabre, Panorama Friche La Belle De Mai, Marseille, France
LOVELESSNESS, Solo Show at Eugster II Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
SHAKE YOUR BODY, Group Show, Curated by Jerome Sans, Lago Algo, Mexico City, Mexico
:mentalKLINIK STAGE, ‘OBNOXIOUSLY HAPPY, 56 MINUTES’ at Brasserie Surrealiste, Brussels, Belgium
INSANELY JOYFUL, Solo Show, BaseWindow, Geneva, Switzerland
HYPERMOODY, Solo Show, Sabrina Amrani Gallery, Madrid, Spain
2021
SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Group Show, Curated by Jerome Sans, Apalazzo Gallery, Italy
TIGER IN A TROPICAL STORM, Group Show, Louise Alexander, Porto Cevro, Italy
OUT OF PLACE, Group Show, Isabelle van den Eynde, Dubai, UAE
TICKER TAPE, Group Show, Project by Cel Crabeels, NICC, Antwerp & Brussels, Belgium
CANAL CONNECT_MAD MACHINE, Group Show, curated by Charles Carcopino, TEATROS DEL CANAL, Madrid, Spain
BEYOND ALL YOU ARE MINE, Group Show, Project by Joel Andrianomearisoa, HAKANTO CONTEMPORARY, Antananarivo, Madagascar
2020
VER VERSUS VER, Group Show, Sabrina Amrani Gallery, Madrid, Spain
BITTER MEDICINE #02, Solo Show, 7/24 Live Stream at Borusan Contemporary, Curated by Necmi Sonmez, Istanbul Turkey
PERSPECTI.EF.VE, a performative tour on ‘It Never Ends’ Exhibition by John Armleder at Kanal Centre Pompidou, Brussels, Belgium
BITTER MEDICINE #01, Solo Show, 7/24 Live Stream at Museum Of Contemporary Art In Belgrade (Mocab), Curated by Carl de Smet, Belgrade, Serbia
HERE WE REACH ALL THE DREAMS OF THE WORLD, Group Show, Project by Joel Andrianomearisoa, HAKANTO CONTEMPORARY, Antananarivo, Madagascar
2019
ALMOST HOME, Group Show, Project by Joel Andrianomearisoa, RX Gallery, Paris France
RACING THE GALAXY, Group Show, ASTANA ART SHOW, Curated by Jerome Sans & Dina Baitassova, Astana, Kazakhstan
ELDORAMA, Group Show at Tripostal, Curated by Jerome Sans, Jean–Max Colard and Isabelle Bernini, Lille, France
GOLDEN ROOM, Group Show at Palais des Beaux-Arts, Curated by Jerome Sans, Jean – Max Colard and Isabelle Bernini, Lille, France
SUNDAY MORNING, Group Show, at Galerist, Curated by Nicole O’Rourke, Istanbul, Turkey
2018
THE THIRTIETH YEAR, Group Show at Krizinger Projekte, Curated by Jerome Sans, Wien Austria
CATASTROPHICALLY GORGEOUS, Solo Show at Eugster II Belgrade, Curated by Yasmina Reggad, Belgrade, Serbia
OBNOXIOUSLY HAPPY, Solo Show, at La Patinoire Royale, Curated by Jerome Sans, Brussels, Belgium
EVOLVE, Group Show at Galery A, Curated by Necmi Sonmez, Izmir, Turkey
2017
TRUISH, Solo Show at Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde, Dubai, UAE
SELF-SEEKING SUPERFICIALS, Solo Show at Louise Alexander Porto Cevro, Italy
SUMMER IN THE CITY, Group Show at La Patinoire Royal, Brussels Belgium
GOOD PRINTING, Group Show at Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde, Curated by Yasmina Reggad Dubai, UAE
2016
WHITE CUBE, Group Show at Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde, Curated by Amanda Abi Khalil, Dubai, UAE
2015
83% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED, Solo Show at Louise Alexander, Porto Cevro, Italy
TIME AND IMAGE, Group Show at Greek Film Archive Museum, Curated by Christina Androulidaki, Athens, Greece
CO-OPERATION WOULD BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED, Solo Show at SCAD, Museum of Art Savannah, Curated by Storm Janse van Rensburg, Savannah, Georgia USA
2014
ENTRE NOSOTROS (Between us), Video art from the Middle East and North Africa in a global World Etopia, at Centro de Arte y Tecnología, Curated by Sabrina Amrani, Zaragoza, Spain
PLURIVOCALITY, Group Show at İstanbul Modern, Curated by Levent Çalıkoğlu & Çelenk Bafra, İstanbul, Turkey
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION, Solo Show Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde, Dubai
ROCK THE CASBAH, Group Show with Carpenters Workshop Gallery at Design Miami, Basel
2013
MAGMAONTHEMOUNTAIN, Performative Dinner at İstanbul Modern, İstanbul, Turkey
FRESHCUT, Performative Installation / MAK NITE Lab @MAK Columned Main Hall MAK- Austria, Museum of applied Arts / Contemporary Art, Curator: Marlies Wirth
2012
ENCOUNTER, The Royal Academy in The Middle East, Curated by Kathy Battista, Katara Doha Qatar,
MAGMAONTHEMOUNTAIN, Performative Dinner, Paris, France,
TERRIBLY JOLLY, Real-time Sculpture, İstanbul, Turkey
HAPPILYDIZZY, Paris, France
İSTANBUL MODERN-ROTTERDAM BOIJMANS VAN BEUNINGEN MUSEUM, Group Show at Rotterdam, Netherlands
2011
THAT’S FUCKING AWESOME, Solo Show at Galerist Hasköy, Curated by Jerome Sans Istanbul, Turkey
B-34 KULTURK Group Show at Freie University, Berlin Germany
30 ET PRESQUE-SONGES, Group Show at Maison Revue Noire, Curated by Joel Andreanomearisoa, Paris, France
DREAMS OF ART SPACES COLLECTED, Group Show at IGBK, Berlin, Germany
2010
SILENCE_STORM, Port İzmir2, International Triennial of Contemporary Art, Curated by Necmi Sonmez, İzmir, Turkey
FROM ISTANBUL THEY COME, Group Show at Kappatos Gallery, Curated by Eleftheria Tseliou
Athens, Greece
2009
A SURVEY OF TURKISH ART, Group Show at Cuadro Fine Art Gallery, Dubai
RABBITHTOLE, Solo Show at Galerist, Istanbul, Turkey
PUFF, Solo Presentation, Art Basel 40, Art Unlimited Basel, Switzerland
TAGCLOUD, Solo Show at :mentalKLINIK Space, Istanbul, Turkey
2008
TAGCLOUD, Solo Show at :mentalKLINIK Space, Istanbul, Turkey
2007
BINARYOCCUPATIONS PHASE1. SURFACE, Solo Show at :mentalKLINIK Space, Istanbul, Turkey
CONVERTED01, X-CUBE© locker, Curated by Eric van Hove, Tokyo, Japan
GIVE JOEL A GIFT, YOU WILL BE GIFTED, 30 and Almost-Dreams Exhibition, Curated by Joel Andreanomearisoa, Antanarivo, Madagascar
FROZEN45, Tomorrow Now Exhibition, Group Show at MUDAM (Musee d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean), Curated by Alexandra Midal & Bjorn Dahlström, Luxembourg
2004
~SELF01, Curated by Marie-Claude Beaud, Luxembourg, MUDAM, Luxembourg (Musee d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean),
2003
[COPY], Curated by :mentalKLINIK at :mentalKLINIK Space, Istanbul, Turkey
2001-2002
{GAME}, Curated by :mentalKLINIK at :mentalKLINIK, Istanbul, Turkey
2000
(SLEEP), Curated by :mentalKLINIK at :mentalKLINIK Space, Istanbul, Turkey
:mentalKLINIK opened its own space at Nisantasi, İstanbul
1998
:mentalKLINIK is founded by Yasemin Baydar and Birol Demir
Yasemin Baydar
1997 KARANFiLKÖY, RIGHT TO SHELTER, Kültür Group, 5th International Istanbul Biennial, Curated by Rosa Martinez, İstanbul, Turkey
1996 A GENDER PROJECT FROM İSTANBUL, Kültür Group, Shedhalle, Zurich, Switzerland
1994-1995 Co-Founder of Artist Run Space ‘DEVLET HAN’
1994 CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS, Painting and Sculpture Museum, İstanbul, Turkey
1993 CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS, Painting and Sculpture Museum, İstanbul, Turkey
Birol Demir
1994-1995 Co-Founder of Artist Run Space ‘DEVLET HAN’
1993 Group Show at Urart Gallery, Ankara, Turkey
1992 Group Show at Urart Gallery, Ankara, Turkey
1991 San-Art Exhibition, Ankara, Turkey
1991 Group Show at Maçka Art Gallery, Ankara, Turkey
1991, Solo Show at Urart Gallery, Ankara, Turkey
1990, Solo Show at Çanakkale Gallery, İstanbul, Turkey
TEACHING/LECTURING/RECIDENCY
2023
DOUBLE TROUBLE, Workshop at RUFA, Rome, Italy
2019
OBSCURE OBJECT, Workshop with Carl de Smet at Khalifa University, Art&Technology, Abu Dhabi
DOUBLE TROUBLE, Workshop at La Cambre with Nathalie Khan, Pierre Daras, Didier Vervaeren, Brussels, Belgium
2017
Recidency at Performance Hub Belgrade Serbia
2015
Panel discussion with Scott Carter, :mentalKLINIK and Nari Ward moderated by Paul Lester. SCAD Museum of Art Savannah Georgia USA
Lecture Series, SCAD, Savannah College of Art and Design Georgia USA
2009
OBSCURE OBJECT, Workshop, Ecole Speciale d’Architecture, Paris, France Undisciplined State of Mind, Ecole Speciale d’Architecture, Paris, France
PRESENT FUTURE, Panel discussion with Tül Akbal Süalp moderated by Fatoş Üstek at Tent, Rotterdam, Netherlands
2008
UNDISCIPLINED DESIGNING; the Theory and Practice of :mentalKLINIK, Studium Generale Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
WORKSHOP at DAI-Week with Barbara Visser, directed by Gabrielle Schleijpen, Dutch Art Institute, Enschede, Netherlands
ÇAĞDAŞ SANAT KONUŞMALARI 2, Çağdaş Sanatta Sivil Oluşumlar ve İnisiyatifler, panel discussion with Tül Akbal Süalp moderated by Levent Çalıkoğlu at Yapi Kredi Cultural Center, Istanbul, Turkey
NON-DETAIL, Panel at Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
NON-DETAIL – WORKSHOP with Bas van Beek at Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
BiR ÇALIŞMA BİÇİMİ OLARAK TASARIM, Moderated by Levent Çalıkoğlu İstanbul Modern, Istanbul, Turkey
GÜNCEL SANAT TARTIŞMALARI: Bağımsız Bünyeler, Panel discussion with Hazavuzu, Moderated by Seçil Yersel. Project by Azra Tüzünoğlu at Mimar Sinan University, Istanbul, Turkey
2007
:MENTALKLINIK STATEMENT, Dreams of Art Spaces Collected, The International Gesellschaft Der Bildenden Künste (IGBK) in co-operation with Deutscher Künstlerbund, Berlin, Germany
2004
CHAT AT MUDAM, Camp de Base, Musée D’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean / Luxembourg
PUBLICATIONS / BIBLIOGRAPHY
MIRRORMIRROR, THE REFLECTIVE SURFACE IN CONTEMPORARY ART by Michael Petry
Published by Thames
&Hudson
HAKANTO CONTEMPORARY 1, by Joël Andrianomearisoa, Published by Revue Noire
DANNIE K. BOULVEVARD JACQMAIN ARTZINE, 2024 Published by Nadine Brussels
GLITTERWORLDS: The Future Politics of a Ubiquitous Thing, Rebecca Coleman, 2020, Pubished by Goldsmiths Press
THONET, Bendwood and Beyond, 2019
Published by MAK Vienna
OBNOXIOUSLY HAPPY, 2018 ISBN 978-2-930737-19-5
Interview by Jerome Sans, Published by La Patinoire Royale
The Thirtieth Year, 2018 Published by Krinzinger Projekte
Şiir Her Yerdedir, İLHAN BERK 100 Yaşında, 2018 Edited by Necmi Sönmez, ISBN: 978-975-08-4372-3 Pubished by Yapı Kredi Yayınları
Plurivocality, 2014, by Levent Çalıkoğlu and Çelenk Bafra
Pubished by Istanbul Modern Art Museum, Istanbul
83% Satisfaction Guaranteed, 2015
Designed by :mentalKLINIK,
Published by Louise Alexander Gallery
Çocuklar İçin Türkiye Güncel Sanati isbn: 978-9750826238
Editor: Halil Altındere, Süreyya Evren, Date of Publication 2013 Published by Yapı Kredi Yayınları
That’s Fucking Awesome, 2012 ISBN: 978-97592510-9-3
Interview by Jerome Sans, Designed by :mentalKLINIK,
156 Pages, Istanbul, 19,5 x 26cm
Published by GALERIST
User’s Manuel, Contemporary Art in Turkey 1986-2006 isbn: 978-3-86588-392-6
Editor: Halil Altındere, Süreyya Evren, September 2007 Published by Art-ist + Revolver Books
User’s Manuel, Contemporary Art in Turkey 1975-2015 isbn: 978-3-86588-423-7 Editor: Halil Altındere, Süreyya Evren, September 2007 Published by Art-ist + Revolver Books
(uyku) sleep isbn: 9758614002 Editor: Birhan Keskin Design: Didem Ateş Photography: Ömer Kokal Sleeper: Gülnihal Kokal Illustration: Kazumi Yamomoto Takaya Authors: Gülten Akın, Hüseyin Ferhad, Tül Akbal Süalp, Birhan Keskin, Reşat Oktar, M. Sabri Koz, Işık Ergüden, Haydar Ergülen, Ali Akay, Ece Temelkuran, Özen Yula, Mercimek Ahmet, Süreyya Berfe, Colour Seperation: Grafik Film Printing: Ohan Matbaacılık Printing Date: May, 2001 Published by :mentalKLINIK
{oyun} game isbn: 9758614010
Editor: Tül Akbal Süalp Design: Ulaş Eryavuz &: mentalKLINIK Authors: Tül Akbal, Ayşetül Demirbaş, Haziran Düzkan, Ömer Süalp, Gökçe Algan, Meral Özbek, Ali Akay, Zerrin Yanikkaya, Nurçay Türkoğlu, Fuat Erman, Süheyla Kirca, Selim Eyüpoğlu, Burçak Madran, Selahattin Özpalabiyiklar, Birhan Keskin, Marsel, Ethem Özgüven, Melis Zararsiz, Enelmare Printing: Stil Matbaacılık Date Of Publication: May, 2002 Published by :mentalKLINIK
[kopya] copy //unpublished
Editor: Ali Akay Design: :mentalKLINIK Authors: Ali Akay, Giray Pultar, Pelin Çayirlioğlu, Olcay Akyildiz,Serkan Özkaya,Melih Başaran, Nermin Saybaşlı, Levent Çalıkoğlu, Jan Hein, Selahattin Özpalabiyiklar, Murat Odabaşı, Ethem Eldem
self 01
Editor: Birhan Keskin Design: :mentalKLINIK Date Of Publication: September, 2004
Published by MUDAM, Luxembourg (Musee d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean),
Wanting Book Odd Notebook isbn: 9758614029
Authors: Birhan Keskin, Özen Yula, Tül Akbal Süalp Translation:Liz Amado (Eng), Esra Özdoğan (Fr) Design: :mentalKLINIK Graphic Operator: Esra Atila Printing: Ofset Yapimevi Date Of Publication: October, 2004 Published by MUDAM, Luxembourg (Musee d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean),
Contents isbn: 9758614037
Project: Yasemin Baydar, Birol Demir Photography: Ahmet Elhan Editor: Tül Akbal Süalp Research: Eren Pultar Translation: Esra Özdoğan, Cem Akaş Design: :mentalKLINIK Graphic Operator: Esra Atila Printing: Ofset Yapimevi Date of Publication: October, 2004 Published by MUDAM, Luxembourg (Musee d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean),
Çağdaş Sanat Konuşmaları 2 isbn: 978-975-08-1178-4
Çağdaş Sanatta Sivil Oluşumlar ve İnisiyatifler
Category:Art Editor: Levent Çalkoğlu Published by Yapı Kredi Yayınları
Sanatın ve Sosyolojinin Ruh Hali
Author: Ali Akay Category Theoria-2 Publisher: Bağlam Yayıncılık
Musée D’art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean 2000-2004 ALMANACH isbn: 2-919923-01-3 Director: Marie-Claude Beaud Date of Publication: October 2004 Published by Foundation Musée D’art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean Luxembourg
5. International İstanbul Biennial, On Life, beauty, Translations and Other Difficulties
isbn: 975-7363-03-0
Curator: Rosa Martinez Editor: Emre Baykal Date of Publication:1997
Published by İstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts
+++5. International İstanbul Biennial, On Life, beauty, Translations and Other Difficulties
isbn: 975-7363-03-0
Curator: Rosa Martinez Editor: Emre Baykal Date of Publication:1997
Published by İstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts
Kültür ein Gender - Projekt aus İstanbul isbn: 3-907829-06-9
Curator: Ursula Biemann Category: Kunst-Feminismus-Migration Date of Publication:1997 Published by Shedhalle Zürich, Die Autorinnen
docu:mentalKLINIK issues
:mentalKLINIK duo has founded docu:mentalKLINIK in 2002 as a form of documentation.
1. TENEZZUL (condescension),
Trendsetter, Vol.1, No.2, June 2002
2. BELLEK (memory),
Trendsetter, Vol.1, No.3, July 2002
3. HAL (state of being)
Trendsetter, Vol.1, No.4, August 2002
4. DEFO (flaw, defect)
Trendsetter, Vol.1, No.5, September 2002
5. ALTÜST/TERSYÜZ (upside-down/inside-out)
Trendsetter, Vol.1, No.6, October 2002
6. SİMYA (alchemy)
Trendsetter, Vol.1, No.7, November 2002
7. HİÇ (nothing)
Trendsetter, Vol.1, No.8, December 2002
8. REKLAM (advertisement)
Trendsetter, Vol.1, No.9, January 2003
9. SAVAŞ (war)
Trendsetter, Vol.1, No.10, February 2003
10. FOTOĞRAF (photography)
Trendsetter, Vol.1, No.11, March 2003
11. VİRUS (virus)
Trendsetter, Vol.1, No.12, April 2003
12. BİRİKTİRMEK (to collect)
Trendsetter, Vol.2, No.1, May 2003
13. ALKIŞLAMAK (to applaud / to clap)
Trendsetter, Vol.2, No.2, June, 2003
14. YELLENMEK (to fan/ fanning)
Trendsetter, Vol.2, No.3, July 2003
15. TASVİR (description)
Trendsetter, Vol.2, No.4, August 2003
16. SURET (appearance, copy)
Trendsetter, Vol.2, No.5, September 2003
17. INDEKS (index)
Trendsetter, Vol.2, No.6, October 2003
18. _ccidRnt
Colophon 2007
19. Image / Imagine
Fashion Shoot for Nico Magazine, Sping/Summer 2007
20. agorophobia] control initiative[
art_ist magazine