Özlem Günyol (*1977) and Mustafa Kunt (*1978) have been working together in Frankfurt am Main since 2007. The Städtische Galerie Karlsruhe is dedicating a comprehensive exhibition to the artist duo with new and past projects.
Their works address socio-political and historical issues by examining the significance of language and symbols in discourses on power and authority. They have received several awards for their precise and versatile installations, most recently the HAP Grieshaber Prize in 2017.
The central concern of their work is to reflect on the formation of identity, which is shaped by cultural, social and political conditions: In Hemzemin (2014), for example, they transformed a flagpole into a floor slab, thereby disempowering the symbol of national representation. In Flag-s (2009), they superimpose the flags of all nations onto a black surface, thus questioning the power of representational symbols. Their works are characterized by a precise and versatile artistic practice that combines socio-critical themes with aesthetic autonomy.Â
