Sobre el Artista

Mehmet Dere was born in 1979 in Izmir. He graduated from Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Painting. Mehmet Dere’s studio, located in Izmir – Gurcesme, also hosts the contemporary art initia-tive 49A, of which he is the founder.This studio has been founded with the pursuit to create a space where contemporary art can exist in the rhythm of everyday life, open itself up to the world, and interact with its environment. 49A, which is the construct of a visible and sustainable tangible space, thus aims to ensure the accessibility and possibilities of production and host solo exhibitions in this space, is also a longtime member of the K2 Contemporary Art Center in Izmir and has participated in numerous group exhibi-tions at the center. Additionally Dere has participated in “When Ideas Become Crime” curated by Halil Alt?ndere at the Tutun Deposu in 2010; “Port Izmir 2, Silence_Storm, International Contemporary Art Triennial”; and the “I am Here, The Time is Now” exhibition at Rotterdam curated by Ong Keng Sen and sponsored by the European Culture Fund in 2008. He was awarded the special prize at the “27th Contemporary Artists Exhibition” at Akbank Art Beyoglu. In 2007, he participated in the special project realized at Santral hensive solo exhibition titled “Quid rides? De te fabula narratur.” organized at Rampa consists of a series of ironic and upfront constructs focusing on local and social memory research deriving from Turkey’s cultural history.