Azade Köker (Turkish, b. 1949)

While the 'sin' symbolized by the 'APPLE' in the course of events that resulted in Adam and Eve being banished from paradise, preserves its place in history and religious culture, the 'Apple' of our day, which has been genetically modified and has become uneatable despite its attractive appearance, tells us how humankind segregated itself from another paradise - the Earth - with its contemporary 'sins' as well as how it has alienated itself and is drifting towards an unknown future.
In this work, Azade Köker not only makes a contemporary and conceptual reference to the symbol of the 'apple' that has been employed numerous times by German, Dutch and Flemish painters - such as Lucas Cranach The Elder (1472-1553) and Peter-Paul Rubens (1577-1640) - she also pays tribute to these great Northern European Renaissance and Baroque masters of the past through her meticulous technique. This unique technique combines various disciplines such as painting, photography and low-relief applications. As the hundreds and thousands of pieces come together, they reflect a great deal of mastery, patience and time, characteristic of Azade Köker's oeuvre.