Shaped around the shared sensibilities of this younger generation, the exhibition brings together works that focus on the emotions and quiet narratives hidden on and just beneath the surface of everyday life. Each piece settles onto the gallery walls like the trace of a feeling, a void, or a fading memory.

By approaching seemingly ordinary moments with close attention, the artists reveal the fragilities they carry. This delicate state lying just beneath the surface emerges at times in the folds of fabric, in spaces of emptiness, or within the depth of a gaze.

As 212 Photography Istanbul, we honor the cherished memory of Prof. Dr. Levend Kılıç who devoted his life to photography, the visual arts, and young generations, with Close to the Surface, a group exhibition featuring works in photography, video, and collage by emerging artists Zeynep Karabacak, Güliz Kayahan, Dilara Pak, Efe Temiztürk, and Hilal Özdemir.