The İstanbul Foundation for Culture and Art (İKSV) has announced Turkey’s first-ever participation in the Venice Architecture Biennale: “Places of Memory.” Comprised of the work of five contemporary Turkish artists, and curated by architect Murat Tabanlıoğlu, the pavilion will aim to illustrate how a variety of 20th century architectural styles eventually evolved into a singe style throughout most of the contemporary world.
Three areas of Istanbul will be studies and showcased: Taksim-Salıpazarı, Bab-ı Ali and Büyükdere Avenue, “all of which marked a threshold in Tabanlıoğlu's life” explains Today’s Zaman. Architect Alper Derinboğaz will explore these locations, while photographer Ali Taptık examines how the architecture relates to the human body. Photographer Serkan Taycan will focus mainly on the city square’s role in everyday life, and artist Metehan Özcan will document the decorative and aesthetic properties of semi-public locations. Digital artist Candaş Şişman will be responsible for creating a sound installation bases on the findings of the other artists.
“Our focus in the exhibition is […] on the concept of place itself, incorporated with the subjective vision of every exhibitor in the team. The works interact with each other via different approaches based on different scales and mediums,” Tabanlıoğlu stated. “We chose not to write in advance the story that might emerge from this project. We will see the outcome together. This is a conscious decision that keeps us on edge, but one that also holds potential.”
“Places of Memory” will be coordinated by Pelin Derviş.
News via IKSV.org and TodaysZaman.com.
