Can Göknil Life and Art

Written by Oğuz Erten and shaped through interviews with Can Göknil as well as a survey of publications and newspapers, this book has set out to convey the productivity marking the span of Can Göknil’s life – one devoted in all ways possible to creativity, inventiveness and production. The artist’s family and childhood, her college years and education in the U.S. have been treated under different headings. While the book attempts to look at her artistic production through a chronological examination of her exhibitions, her illustrated children’s books and stories have been treated alongside this progression under different sections. Ending in a detailed biography, the book also includes a wealth of examples of Can Göknil’s work, one of the rare artists with a series of conceptually and thematically coherent exhibitions from the 1980s up to date.
On the occasion of the book, the Bozlu Art Project Mongeri Building is also hosting an exhibition encompassing the life and art of Can Göknil, a multi-faceted character and artist prominent within Turkey’s art scene from the 1970s onwards. Scheduled to take place between the 13th of November 2018 and the 23rd of March 2019, the exhibition shall involve a broad selection of works from the artist’s early period up to present.
The historic Mongeri Building in Şişli, home to the Bozlu Art Project collection as well as artistic and research-related activities, now opens its doors to art lovers on the occasion of “Can Göknil: Life and Art” published by Bozlu Art Publications. Drawing attention to the importance of monographic studies to be carried out with regards to certain artists that are cornerstones in Turkey’s art history, this book reaches out to its readers as a comprehensive endeavour on a truly remarkable artist who remains prolific, not only with her works of art but also as a writer.