About

The artist Mehtap Baydu has become known internationally through her performances and installations. She focuses on gender roles and sensitive political and religious themes in multicultural contexts. She incorporates the audience into her performances and challenges it using symbolic objects and situations. Alongside performance and installation, she uses sculpture and photography to best express and convey her artistic concerns.

Awards & Stipends

2025: Artist in Residence at Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center, New York, awarded the Baroness Nina von Maltzahn Fellowship for the Performing Arts.
2021: Art Prize, Städtische Galerie Nordhorn.
2021: Research Stipend, Berlin Senate.
2020: Stipend, Kulturakademie Tarabya.
2018: “Derik” Project Stipend, Badischer Kunstverein.
2011: Dr. Wolfgang Zippel Art Prize, City of Kassel.
2011: UPK Art Prize.
2009-2010: Otto Braun Foundation Scholarship, University of Kassel.
2009: Stipend for Foreign Students, University of Kassel.

Selected Solo Exhibition

2024: „Mitgift-Dowry-Çeyiz“, KIF-Kunst im Fenster, Berlin DE
2022: „Durchlässigkeit-Gecirgenlik“ (Permeability), Städtische Galerie Nordhorn DE
2022: „Der Wald war noch nackt“ (The Forest was Still Naked), Galeri Nev Ankara TR
2019: „Cuma“ (Friday), Edition Block Berlin DE
2018: „Derık“, Badischer Kunstverein Karlsruhe DE
2018: „Dialogue“, London Art Fair UK
2015: „Papierrepublik“, Artinternational Istanbul TR
2014: „Eine Geschichte von Shahmaran”, bei BERLINARTPROJECTS, Berlin DE
2009: „Frauenschenkel – Kadinbudu Fleischbällchen“, Kulturzentrum Schlachthof Kassel DE

Selected Group Exhibitions

2025: „Fragments of Reality” State Art Gallery, Sopot PL
2025: „Silenced Voices, Unbroken Spirits“, HKW, Berlin, DE
2025: „Die Süße Heimat“, Kunstmuseum Ahlen, DE (upcoming)
2025: „Was nehmen wir mit?“, Polnisches Institut Berlin, DE
2024: „Frauen Objekte“, Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg, DE
2024: „Sifa-Therapie“ Festival, Kulturakademie Tarabya Istanbul, TR
2023-2024: “Drei Hubwagen ein Blatt Papier” (Three Forklifts One Sheet of Paper), Neues Museum Nuremberg (and in other museums and institutions) DE
2023: “WER WIR SIND” (Who We Are), Bundeskunsthalle Bonn DE
2023: “Kunst-Stoff” (Art fabric), Kunsthalle Vogelmann, Heilbronn DE
2023: “INTERMEZZO”, Kunsthalle Moen, DK
2023: “Hier bin ich” (Here I Am), Kunsthalle Emden DE
2023: “Biz Buradayız” (We Are Here), Istanbul Modern TR
2023: “HAUT” (Skin), ZAK Berlin DE
2022: “Empowerment”, Kunst Museum Wolfsburg, DE
2022: „MITbeSTIMMEn“, Galerie Nord, Berlin DE
2022: “Cocoon“, „ATEM“, Bilsart, Istanbul, TR
2021: “Global Artfestival”, Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nuremberg DE
2021: “Studio Bosporus”, Kulturakademie Tarabya Istanbul / Kunstraum Bethanien Berlin DE
2021: “State and Nature”, Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden DE
2019-20: “Alone Together”, STUK Leuven BE
2019-20: “Words are Very Unnecessary”, Arter Istanbul TR
2018: „Blut und Steine“, White Kuyp, München, DE
2017: “Kuss” (Kiss), Bröhan-Museum Berlin DE
2017: “G – Queere Formen wandern” (G – queer forms wander), Schwules Museum Berlin DE
2017: “Identity Relations”, kjubh e.V. Cologne DE
2016: “Diese Sehnsucht gehört uns!” (This desire belongs to us!), Center of Contemporary Art CoCA) Znaki Czasu, Torun, PL
2015: “Mythologies”, 3rd Mardin Biennale, Mardin TR
2013: “Die unbeantwortete Frage” (The unanswered question), Iskele-2, SCHWANENGESANG / Swan Song, HAU1 Berlin DE
2012: „Turkish Art New And Superb“, TANAS, Berlin, DE
2011: „Osman“ Performance, Documentahalle Kassel, DE
2009: “Spaziergang” (Stroll), Kunsthalle Fridericianum, Kassel DE

Mehtap Baydu was born in Bingöl, Turkey. She studied sculpture at Hacettepe University Ankara and the Kunsthochschule Kassel under Prof. Dorothee von Windheim. Thereafter “Master Student” of Prof. von Windheim and Prof. Mathilde Ter Heijne. Baydu war 2024 Gastprofessorin an der Akademie der Künste Berlin. Sie lebt und arbeitet in Berlin. Mehtap Baydu lives and works in Berlin.