Visual art meets music at ‘Sail of Hope’ exhibition
Turkish visual artist Esra Kizir Gokcen calls upon her own migrant experience in this dramatic collection. A daring sense of spontaneity is often matched with a reverence and awe for natures macro and microcosms.
Splashes of bright colours and intricate linear details refer to her background of Istanbul as a junction between east and west. Whilst honouring the gravity of the subject matter of mankind’s relentless journeying, Gokcen encourages us to challenge the perspective of victimhood, keeping Hope and a transcendent spirit of adventure alive in our minds.
The exhibition Sail of Hope will be open for visitors at 54 The Gallery, Mayfair, London, from 26 February to 9 March 2025. It will also be available online on the artist’s website.
An Arts Council Of England funded collaboration with Grammy winning composer Tim Garland has seen much of this work appear on screens around UK venues already. This intimate exhibition will feature the musical element with both bespoke recorded, and even live performance by Garland himself (see above for programme). The exhibition is also available online at the artist’s website.
The Sail To Hope exhibition consists of multi layered mixed media canvas paintings, with the addition of a stirring installation “Moment Of Departure”. This large scale work has been created with the participation of many art-workshop attendees all of whom made and named a paper boat as their potent symbol of Hope. This is accompanied by music adapted from Tim Garland’s hybrid orchestral / jazz compositions written to match Gokcen’s work.
Sail To Hope celebrates the positive messages that art can communicate, elevating the amazing resilience of the human spirit.
As a part of the Moment Of Departure project, there will be a documentary video which includes a selection of the art created by “Sail To Hope” art-workshop attendees of various ages and migrant backgrounds. The video documents short interviews made during the workshops where many voices from our diverse community speak of what Hope means to them. 25% of proceeds from sales during this event will go to War Child charity.
Special Event ‘Sail to Hope Music & Art Afternoon’
As part of the Sail of Hope exhibition, a special event Music & Art Afternoon will take place on Saturday, 8 March, bringing together music and visual art in an immersive experience. Grammy-winning jazz saxophonist Tim Garland will perform among Esra Kızır Gökçen’s original artworks, creating a dynamic interplay between sound and imagery. The event offers a rare opportunity to witness the convergence of two artistic disciplines in an intimate gallery setting.
“Creating art that can be applied to global issues and our personal lives, Esra Kizir Gokcen’s artworks are a beacon of hope in a world that can often seem dark and foreboding”.
Tabish Khan
London Art Critic Visual arts editor of Londonist.com
Reviewer of Culture Whisper Trustee of Artcan.org
About artist
London-based artist Esra Kızır Gökçen presents a captivating exploration of self-inquiry and nature through her intricate and immersive works. Originally from Istanbul, where she studied printmaking, Gökçen has exhibited internationally, with solo shows in Istanbul, Ankara, and Amsterdam. Her artistic journey led to the creation of 365 Daily Drawings – Art From Within, a project completed in 2021 and launched alongside a solo exhibition at Charing Cross Library.
Drawing inspiration from the interplay between the micro and macro elements of nature, Gökçen’s work embodies spontaneity, depth, and fluidity. Layers of water-based media, print, and collage intertwine, creating compositions that transcend conventional perspectives. Her art, while deeply personal, invites viewers into a space of open interpretation and discovery.
Renowned jazz saxophonist and composer Tim Garland who accompain the artist, describes her work as “an adventure without horizon,” capturing both vastness and intimacy, movement and stillness. Art critic David White of Art Mag UK highlights the “intuitively detailed, intimate” nature of her pieces, which transport the viewer to new realms of possibility.
