Born in 1984, Aksiniya Misyuta lives and works in Istanbul. She has been the subject of numerous exhibitions, including at Galerie Sébastien Bertrand in Geneva and at Union Pacific in London.
In Sunrise, from 2019, Misyuta plays with perspective and uses the familiar to unsettling effect. Common objects have their meanings obscured, and what is a pretty picture is also a slightly disturbing one. This surreal tone is an expression of Misyuta’s unique voice. At first glance, the work simply depicts a woman carrying a drink on a tray. On closer inspection, it becomes clear that the various elements of the composition are not quite what they seem. The straw in the glass extends beyond the girl’s ear – at its top is a rose, and halfway up is an offshoot branch, as though the straw were a stem, receiving its sustenance from whatever concoction was in the glass. The rose itself is perfectly aligned with the back of the girl’s head, like a hairpiece holding her locks firmly in place. The offshoot branch seems to extend downwards into a contraption which could be a fan, or indeed the girl’s fanned dress – naturally, this remains ambiguous. It is in her playful ambiguity that Misyuta is able to create a work of art which, for the viewer, is both delightful and demanding.
