In Pera, where Istanbul’s artistic pulse beats strongest, excitement is building for a profoundly serene and transformative exhibition set to open in three days. Dirimart is preparing to present “Santosha,” painter Çiğdem Aky’s second solo show at the gallery, to art lovers starting 8 January. In this new selection, Aky breaks free from the rigid formal structures and restrictive frameworks that have long dominated her painting practice, fully surrendering her artistic production to the autonomous flow of intuition and colour.
The exhibition takes its name from the Sanskrit concept of Santosha, one of the “Niyamas” (personal observances) in yoga philosophy. Meaning contentment, satisfaction with one’s circumstances, and the ability to cultivate inner peace independent of external conditions, this concept serves as a pictorial inventory of the personal transformation Aky has undergone in recent times. For the artist, painting is no longer a controlled process directed toward an aesthetic goal; rather, it has become a space of presence where the mind quietens and the sufficiency of the present moment is accepted.
Methodological Transformation: The Autonomy of Colour
Çiğdem Aky’s artistic methodology is built on the layering of colour on the canvas surface and the sense of depth created by these layers. However, in the “Santosha” series, the artist completely releases the rectangular forms and geometric supports that previously balanced her compositions.
Unprepared Process: To preserve the immediacy of the moment, the artist avoids preparatory drawings, positioning colour as an instinctive force.
Transition to Formlessness: With the removal of structural constraints, colours no longer need to fit a mould and find their own rhythms on the canvas.
Softer Visual Language: Strong contrasts and sharp boundaries give way to gentler, more sensitive transitions that reflect clarity, lucidity, and gratitude.
A Journey Guided by Silence
Although Aky’s paintings are shaped by observations filtered through urban landscapes and shifting atmospheres of light, they ultimately evolve into rhythmic and lyrical abstractions. Each painting in this exhibition functions as a pause, inviting the viewer to encounter their own inner silence rather than offering an explanation. The flow that begins the moment the brush touches the canvas represents a pure state of being in which control yields to surrender. In this process where form evolves into formlessness, the viewer has the opportunity to experience the liberating path from limitation to expansion.
Exhibition Title: Santosha
Artist: Çiğdem Aky
Venue: Dirimart Pera, Beyoğlu, Istanbul
Dates: 8 January – 22 February 2026
