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German artist Robert Janitz has opened a solo exhibition in Istanbul inspired by Turkish author Sabahattin Ali's novel "Madonna in a Fur Coat" (Kurk Mantolu Madonna), exploring identity, memory and the relationship between what is visible and what remains hidden.
The exhibition, titled "Madonna in a Fur Coat," is being held at Sevil Dolmaci Gallery's historic Villa Ipranosyan venue and brings together new works from Janitz's ongoing "reverse portraits" series.
Rather than depicting faces, the artist presents female figures with their backs turned toward viewers, using hairstyles, posture and painted surfaces to challenge conventional portraiture. Arches and doorways appearing behind the figures further blur the boundaries of the spaces they occupy.
The exhibition draws on a central moment in Ali's novel, when Raif Efendi encounters a portrait of a woman in a Berlin gallery. While the woman's face and gaze play a defining role in the literary narrative, Janitz deliberately leaves both elements out of his paintings.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) at the opening, Janitz explained that he wanted to preserve the mystery surrounding Maria Puder, the woman at the center of the novel, rather than impose a specific visual interpretation on readers.
"I don't want to paint Maria Puder's gaze," he said, adding that he had heard about plans for a television series based on the book and considered the idea troubling because it could undermine readers' imagination.
Janitz explained that although his figures do not look directly at viewers, the act of looking remains central to the paintings. Instead of encountering another person's gaze, viewers find themselves looking at a figure whose face remains concealed.
He described this approach as a form of abstraction of the novel.
With a background in comparative literature, Janitz said he was particularly drawn to Raif Efendi's shyness, introverted personality and difficulty overcoming loneliness.
Having lived in Berlin when he was 20, the artist said he recognized aspects of his own experiences in the character's emotional struggles.
Janitz also discussed the exhibition's color palette, explaining that although his work is often influenced by the colors of Mexico City, where he primarily lives, he chose lilac and pale pink tones for this series to bring out a sense of nostalgia.
The artist, who has regularly visited Istanbul for five years and previously exhibited at Villa Ipranosyan, said he felt a personal connection to the city.
"I feel a little like an Istanbulite," he said, explaining that his experiences in both Istanbul and Berlin helped him approach the novel as an artistic theme.
The "Madonna in a Fur Coat" exhibition will remain open at Sevil Dolmaci Gallery's Villa Ipranosyan venue in Istanbul until Dec. 12.
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