Past Exhibitions

Moving Memories

27 May - 12 August 2021

CURATOR: AYÇA OKAY

Laurent Bolognini, Variations 2, 2012.
178.5 x 178.5 x 36 cm., kinetic, light.

We are living in an era during which life in modern cities is getting harder and harder. Yet the strong bond we have with the cities in which we live in is an obstacle for us to conceive any other alternative. Beyond being densely developed urban settlements where industrial and services exchanges take place the city is a place where senses, idioms and memories are accumulated in layer upon layer just as depicted by Italo Calvino in his novel “Invisible Cities”. The typology, morphology and spatial function within this pluralist phenomenon are defined by its residents’ characters, socio-cultural background, psychology and geography.

As one can observe the multitude of high-rise buildings erected in Istanbul to address the needs of an ever-growing demography, these structures do indeed offer housing to the city dwellers but at the same time, they have an adverse effect on the psychology of the people and the ecology of the city. We observe how human beings that are detached from the land and from nature are overcome by a pervasive sense of alienation. This condition that is definitely far from the fundamental trait of “communal life” embedded in our culture is to a certain extent alleviated by innovative architectural design formulae that strive to create spaces conducive to communal living. The space we are in now with its historic fabric sensitively preserved and during the recent process of its restoration was given the same priority of a dwelling is now laying among the multi storeid buildings of the neighborhood.  It is now by far a focus point as a space for communal activities and by coming together with the Works of art in this exhibition, it plays a primary role in the attainment of a wholistic discourse.  

“Moving Memories” attempts to draw the attention of the viewer to the similarities and differences between the natural and man made space in this building erected in 1846. There is a morphological connection between the architectural geometry of the Fişekhane building and the imagery in the Works exhibited that have references to the repetitive rhythms of nature. The structure of the exhibition space with its repetitive modules on one hand and the water particles in motion, fanned corals, waves or mirror surfaces that have come together with sharply cut glaciers on the other, there seems to be a great harmony as if there were a silent entente. The dichotomy that comes up in the placement of some of the Works is not due to a coincidence. The interventionist style of the moving imagery invites the viewer to interact and thus to change course in his or her trajectory.

In collaboration with the Contemporary Istanbul Foundation a selection from the Borusan Contemporary Art collection is now being featured, a bit away from home, in the Fişekhane art space which is one of the foremost heritage buildings in Istanbul. The selection presented to art lovers is entitled “Moving Memories”. With photographs created with the help of light traces and the deployment of computer Technologies the new media Works featured here, on one hand offer the opportunity for the viewer to witness the effect on art of the journey of technological advance and on the other leads the path to reflect on representation and experimenting.

Ayça Okay
Curator

Fişekhane's location:

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