05/05/2026
Sabancı University Foundations Development Program instructor Melisa King was among the winners of the Akbank Contemporary Artists Award Competition, one of Türkiye's most prestigious art events, held for the 44th time this year, with her work titled "Flora of the Void".
As a result of the jury evaluations of the competition, organized in collaboration with the Association of Painting and Sculpture Museums, Elgiz Museum, and Akbank Sanat to support developments in the field of contemporary art, King was one of the award-winning artists.
Human Emotions Versus Artificial Intelligence: "Flora of the Void"
Melisa King's award-winning work, "Flora of the Void," consists of porcelain pieces assembled in a series. The work, referencing the concept of "emptiness" in East Asian philosophy, addresses the unifying effect of emptiness on visual composition with an expressionistic approach.
With this work, King questions the limitations of artificial intelligence (AI), which shapes every aspect of life today, on art. The illogical responses received from AI during the arrangement of the porcelain pieces reveal the deep connection between art and human states of mind such as giving meaning, hoping, and dreaming, which AI cannot fully comprehend.
The exhibition will be open to visitors at the Elgiz Museum until July 31st.
The exhibition, featuring the winning works of the Akbank 44th Contemporary Artists Award Competition, will be open to visitors at the Elgiz Museum from May 14th to July 31st, 2026. The awards will be presented to the artists at a ceremony to be held on the opening day of the exhibition.
About Melisa King
After completing her undergraduate studies in Social and Political Sciences at Sabancı University, Melisa King studied painting in Florence, Italy, and later earned a Master's degree in Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design from Sabancı University. In 2023, she completed an internship at the Painting Department of the Venice Academy of Fine Arts (Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia). In 2025, she completed her Proficiency in Art/Doctorate in Basic Art and Design at Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts with her dissertation on "Invisible Perceptual Force Fields and Emptiness In Art and Visual .
