2016 — New English Paperback. Pbo. 4to. (28 x 24 cm). In English and Turkish. 112 p., color and b/w ills. Mario Prassinos. In pursuit of an artist: Istanbul - Paris - Istanbul.= Mario Prassinos. Bir sanatçinin izinde: Istanbul - Paris - Istanbul. Curated by Begüm Akkoyunlu Ersöz, Tania Bahar. The exhibition Mario Prassinos, In Pursuit of an Artist: Istanbul-Paris-Istanbul is centered on the art of Mario Prassinos, born into a Greek family of artists in Istanbul, whose artistic career began among the 20th-century Avant-Gardes in Paris. Curated by Seza Sinanlar Uslu with specialists Catherine Prassinos and Thierry Rye as consultants, the exhibition is accompanied by an exhaustive catalogue. Featuring a range of original and striking works by Mario Prassinos, including paintings, book illustrations, fabric samples, and engravings, the catalogue also contains articles written by the artist's daughter Catherine Prassinos, Enis Batur, and Seza Sinanlar Uslu. Catherine Prassinos focuses on her father's relationship with Istanbul and his memories of the city, whereas Enis Batur seeks, in the artist's works, the traces of the childhood he spent in Istanbul and the art milieu he was a part of during his years in France. Carefully examining the unique and outstanding personality of Prassinos, his style that extends from Surrealism to Realism, and his artistic stance against Fascism during World War II, Uslu particularly concentrates on the relationship the artist establishes with memory: "People do not recognize things (or other people), they remember them" says Prassinos, who reflects traces of the past from memory in his works. He presents to viewers the memories he recorded in memory, but could not access or recall exactly and clearly, as portraits that, in his words, could only be "created by a damaged memory.". This exhibition is centered on the art of Mario Prassinos, who was born in Istanbul into a Greek-Ottoman family and began his artistic career in Paris, among the 20th century avant-gardes. Bringing together a large selection of his works ranging from paintings and book illustrations to tapestries, portraits, and engravings, the exhibition reveals the striking and unique character of Prassinos and his distinctive style shifting from Surrealism to a more realistic approach. Curated by Seza Sinanlar Uslu, the exhibition welcomes back this original 20th-century artist to his birthplace to Pera, Istanbul, on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Mario Prassinos was born in Istanbul in 1916 to a Greek-Italian family that settled in Turkey many years before. In 1922, his family moved to France. He studied at the School of Oriental Languages and the Sorbonne. His first solo exhibition was held in 1938 at the Billiet-Vorms Gallery. Upon his return from the war in which he had fought as a volunteer, he broke away from surrealism and started a figurative period.
