Zeynep Kaynar: The SAPP – From Gesture to Form

The exhibition explores the multifaceted dimensions of identity and language within urban spaces. The works pose essential questions for the viewer: How are minority identities constructed and made visible in the urban environment? How does language function not only as a tool for communication but also as a cultural symbol and a visual marker?

The themes of the exhibition are inspired by Maamme, a work that examines the heritage of Finnish culture and history. In light of its subject matter, I engage in dialogue with other painters, highlighting polyphony and diverse aesthetic perspectives on language, identity, and their representation in public space. This collegial and multi-perspective approach situates painting both within the continuum of cultural tradition and in contemporary discussions on diversity and belonging.

My research places painting at the center, examining today’s visual and textual culture as well as the multiplicity of linguistic and cultural identities. The works combine various techniques, such as acrylic painting and drawing tools, to create richness in textures and visual layers. The exhibition emphasizes painting’s ability to participate in social discourse and asks how visual language can reflect and challenge questions of belonging, diversity, and visibility in public urban space. Painting is positioned within a broader dialogue on identity and culture, reinforcing its value as both a personal and collective form of expression. The project underscores professionalism, polyphony, equality, collegial interaction, and the freedom and intrinsic value of art.

The exhibition invites audiences to consider how paintings can serve as platforms for conversation and dialogue, bringing forward the significance of minority groups as part of modern urban culture. For Kaynar, the exhibition marks an important step in professional development. It strengthens long-term resilience as a painter and a research-oriented approach that develops painting as both a tradition-respecting and experimental practice. The works draw on Kaynar’s evolving use of abstract forms and layered compositions, symbolizing contemporary visual culture and the diversity of linguistic and cultural identities.

The artist is committed to challenging the traditional solitary studio practice of painting in the long run, integrating socially oriented and participatory methods. In this way, painting can function as a platform for communal dialogue and artistic research, opening new perspectives on the interaction between contemporary art and society.

Open

Tue–Fri 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Sat–Sun 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Free admission!

Read more about the artist: https://zeywashere.com/

The Culture House Laikku is largely accessible. Read more about Laikku's accessibility.

The event will follow Safer Space Guidelines.