Esra Özdoğan's solo exhibition, The Ghost in the Machine, curated by Çağla Özbek, invites viewers into a world where the boundaries between life, death and illusion are constantly shifting. The title, drawn from the British philosopher Gilbert Ryle’s concept of the 'ghost' inhabiting the 'machine' of the body, offers a framework for understanding Özdoğan’s exploration of existence. Through her evocative photographic works, Özdoğan intertwines Western philosophical inquiries with the Turkish concept of yalan dünya (false world), framing her pieces as meditations on life's inherent emptiness and the tension between presence and absence.
In her still life works Özdoğan chooses photography as a medium because she believes it underscores the fleeting nature of life. The Ghost in the Machine #5 serves as a hauntingly gothic embodiment of this idea. A white peacock is positioned on a table, surrounded by decaying flowers, a half-eaten papaya and a candle. The imagery evokes a reflective acceptance of life’s impermanence, where even the beauty of a moment is bound to fade.
Other works in the exhibition evoke a similarly eerie yet contemplative atmosphere. The Ghost in the Machine #8 draws viewers into a dimly lit playroom, where two girls in long nightgowns inhabit the space. One girl reclines on a bright armchair, her face turned away, while the other is absorbed in her doll' shouse. Inspired by Henry James's1898 novella The Turn of the Screw, the photograph’s meticulous composition builds a palpable sense of unease, as if an invisible presence is quietly shifting in the shadows, heightening the tension between innocence and something more unsettling.
Perhaps the most striking work in the exhibition is The Ghost in the Machine #15 (top, which depicts a woman in a white dress walking through a shadowy forest. Her face is hidden, her long gown trailing like the veil of a bride, evoking a spectral image of both life and death. The quiet presence of a deer, positioned centrally in the image, offers a moment of serenity amidst the haunting landscape. Its calm, almost otherworldly gaze offers a counterpoint to the surrounding mystery, suggesting the possibility of peace in the midst of uncertainty. The soft light filtering through the trees adds a touch of hope to the otherwise darkened forest, enhancing the sense of an elusive, yet powerful, presence.
Wrapped in a romantic hue, Özdoğan’s works in The Ghost in the Machine are beautiful examples of composition and the transformative role of light.
