Nevin Aladağ

Nevin Aladağ: Sculptural Explorations of Sound and Form

Nevin Aladağ, born in Van, Turkey, in 1972, is a German installation and performance artist whose work delves into the intersection of sculpture and sound. Her artistic practice centers around creating objects that aren’t merely visual but actively engage with auditory experience—a deliberate departure from traditional sculptural conventions. Studying sculpture at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste München from 1993 to 2000 provided her foundational understanding of material manipulation and spatial considerations, shaping her approach to artistic creation. Since 2019, she has held a professorship at the Hochschule für angewandte Kunst Nürnberg (fhnw), where she continues to inspire students with her pioneering explorations of interdisciplinary art forms. Aladağ’s sculptures are characterized by their paradoxical blend of form and function. She meticulously crafts objects that appear deceptively simple yet harbor complex internal structures—often incorporating musical instruments or sonic elements into their design. This fascination stems from a desire to investigate how sound influences perception and transforms our understanding of space. As curator Rachel Jans eloquently describes in SFMOMA’s essay “New Work: Nevin Aladağ,” “What if a mandolin, a bass, and a guitar all shared a single body? How would it sound if they were then joined with drums, chimes, and didgeridoos?” This conceptual question encapsulates the core of Aladağ's artistic vision. Her installations frequently utilize these musical explorations to challenge viewers’ senses and invite contemplation on themes of resonance, materiality, and transformation. Consider “Stage IV,” a striking piece featuring marron with copper red strands—a testament to her ability to translate abstract ideas into tangible sculptural forms. Similarly, "Raise the Roof," documented in a 5:42 minute performance, showcases Aladağ’s commitment to immersive artistic experiences. The collaborative effort between instruments and human movement underscores her belief that art should transcend passive observation and actively stimulate engagement. Her formative years in Germany profoundly influenced her artistic sensibilities, fostering an appreciation for cultural diversity and prompting her to consider new languages and associations—a perspective evident throughout her oeuvre. Aladağ’s sculptural explorations often grapple with concepts of identity formation, migration, and the negotiation between tradition and modernity, mirroring the experiences of individuals navigating shifting social landscapes. Aladağ's artistic trajectory has been marked by collaborations with prominent institutions worldwide, including SFMOMA (San Francisco, USA), Hayward Gallery (London, UK), Museum Mönchehaus (Goslar, Germany), Albertinum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Germany), Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz (Austria), Arter (Istanbul, Turkey), Tanas (Berlin, Germany). Her participation in international platforms such as documenta 14 (Kassel and Athens), the 57th Venice Biennale, the 11th Sharjah Biennial, the 11th Istanbul Biennial, the 8th Taipei Biennial, and the 14th International Carrara Sculpture Biennial underscores her commitment to engaging with global artistic dialogues. She has received accolades for her work, notably the Ernst-Rietschel Art Prize for Sculpture and the George Maciunas Prize—recognitions that affirm her enduring contribution to contemporary art. Currently residing in Berlin, Nevin Aladağ continues to push boundaries within sculptural practice, fostering innovation and inspiring future generations of artists with her unwavering dedication to interdisciplinary artistic exploration.