Born in 1974 in Ankara, Arda developed an interest in computers and rock'n'roll music when he was in secondary school. Commodore, Amiga, 8086 processors...
He studied electronics/computer science in high school, dropped out of two universities -Anadolu University, Tourism Department and Ankara University, Department of Archeology/Restoration- to be a musician. In 1999, he settled down in İstanbul that he had been commuting to play guitar. He worked on sound technology for a while, took an interest in video-animation-vfx and started making videos in 2004, realized numerous live video performances for many international musicians and festivals; contributed/directed concert DVDs, music videos and commercials.
In 2018 Arda Yalkin is the co-founded ha:ar with the renewed Turkish sculptor Hande Sekerciler. The duo received invitations from prestigious artist residency programs such as Residency Unlimited (NYC), AAI (NYC) and 18th Street (LA). In addition, the duo opened their first solo exhibition in NY in 2018 followed by 2021 exhibitions in Ankara, Venice , Milan and Istanbul. The duo are also amongst the first in the world to release their physical exhibition as DigitalArt NFT collection and became news on national televisions in Turkey, Italy and Switzerland. They also undertook the curation of Turkey's first physical NFT exhibition at Contemporary Istanbul.
Today Arda is being invited to many conferences, trainingsand workshops as keynote speaker and expert on the relationship between blockchain technology and art, he is also advising various institutions on this topics.
Arda is also the co-founder of Piksel, a non-profit educational program that aims to teach technological production methods to young artists and financially support the production of the first works.
"In my works, I refer to unpleasant subjects such as power-people conflict, consumer society, assimilation, war, politics, religion and dissolution. Despite not grown up as an MTV kid, I attach great importance to the power, methods and intelligence of commercial ads, mainstream movies and mass media. The things I valued as a young student are now transforming into consumer goods as I watch with awe.
My method can be described as reverse engineering. I like to provoke people. The capital and political power apply refined and well crafted communication techniques to exploit the people and I use their own methods to disturb them a little."
Interviews
Time Out Istanbul (Turkish)| December, 2016
Time Out Istanbul (Eng)| December, 2016
Hillsider Magazine 2013 spring issue.
Pages 88-89 for Turkish and 112 for English.
Please click here to read full magazine.
Today's Zaman | February, 2012
TRT | February, 2012
Articles & Publications
"Everything ıs Awesome Exhibition Book including Marcus Graf's article "Great Time in the Age of Mega-Materialism and Optic-Opium (A few thoughts about the current work of Arda Yalkın)" and an interview with the artist.
Ulya Soley's article about "Everything Is Awesome" for Istanbul Art News
"Deep Fried Dreams" Exhibition Catalogue
"Hard-working Little People" Exhibition Catalogue
Ali Şimşek - The burning energy of collage and "Hard-working Little People" (Turkish & English)
Beyza Boynudelik - Bodies without memory (Turkish & English)
Selected Exhibitions and Screenings
UPCOMING
Moving Images Fest. w/ Gaia Gallery - New York
Everything ıs Awesome (Solo Show) w/ Gaia Gallery - Istanbul
Contemporary Istanbul 2016 w/ Gaia Gallery - Istanbul
2016
Alter-Hero w/ Gaia Gallery - Istanbul
Loop Barcelona Video Fest. 2016 w/ Gaia Gallery - Istanbul
Call of Marsyas 2016 w/ Gaia Gallery - Bodrum
2015
Contemporary Istanbul 2015 w/ Gaia Gallery - Istanbul
Deep Fried Dreams 2 (Solo Show) w/ Cer Modern - Ankara
How Should a War Be Remembered w/ Cer Modern - Ankara
2014
Deep Fried Dreams (Solo Show) w/ Gaia Gallery - Istanbul
Merz 3000 w/ Plato Art Center - Istanbul
Contemporary Istanbul 2014 w/ Gaia Gallery - Istanbul
Untitled w/ Gallery Metazori - Alaçatı
Turkish & Greek Artists w/ Artis Causa Gallery - Thessaloniki (Greece)
Batteries Not Included w/ Gallery Linart - Istanbul
BorderBody.MixingIdentities w/ Artexpo - Almaria (Spain) & Bari (Italy)
2013
Red Exhibition w/ Çağla Cabaoğlu Gallery - Istanbul
Are You As Great As Your Shadow w/ Cer Modern - Ankara
Contemporary Istanbul 2013 w/ Red Art Gallery - Istanbul
Untitled w/ Çağla Cabaoğlu Gallery - İstanbul
Differences w/ Türker Art - Istanbul
Art Athina w/ Artis Causa Gallery - Athens (Greece)
Friendship 2 w/ Artis Causa Gallery and Technohoros - Athens (Greece)
2012
Untitled w/ Çağla Cabaoğlu Gallery - İstanbul
Friendship 1 w/ Artis Causa Gallery - Thessaloniki (Greece)
Contemporary Istanbul 2012 w/ Alan Istanbul - Istanbul
Hardworking Little People (Solo Show) w/ Alan Istanbul - Istanbul
Woman, Beautiful But Alone w/ Alan Istanbul - Istanbul
Ikametgah Kadikoy 2012
Self Portrait w/ Alan Istanbul - Istanbul
Sorry I Couldn't Recognize You w/ Port Art Gallery - Ankara
2011
Contemporary Istanbul 2011 w/ Video Cube - Istanbul
Pop Art Extended w/ Alan Istanbul and Linart - Istanbul
İkametgah Kadıköy 2011
2009
Ihsan Oktay Anar Symposium Exhibition w/ Bilgi University - Istanbul