Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Marzena Romanowska
ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News
A group of artists willing to change the current order in Istanbul’s art world are bringing attention to Asia. They are gathering under the ‘216 Thinking and Production Zone’ name to prove potential lies on both sides of the Bosphorus
The “216 Thinking and Production Zone” took its name from the area code for the Asian side of Istanbul.
The Bosphorus is seen by some as much more than just a natural barrier between the two sides of Istanbul. For the artists located on the Anatolian side of the city, it becomes an impassable obstacle, which disables them from participating fully in Istanbul’s artistic life.
A group of Asia-based artists who, instead of taking their art to Europe, decided to bring some interest in the other direction have gathered together to work and exchange their ideas under one name.
The “216 Thinking and Production Zone” took its name from the area code for the Asian side of Istanbul. “We decided to underline the location in the process of creating the group because this place is important to us all,” group member Ayça Telgeren told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. “Kadıköy was the starting point because all of the artists live here, but we are not limited to this side only.”
“We used to live and work close to each other without even knowing about it,” said another artist in the group, Zeynep Cin Yeşildağ.
The group has grown since six months ago when the project started. Eleven artists participated in the first initiative and 20 came together for the second. Currently the group is working on their “memory book” project, in which the artists reflect their personal memories and thoughts related to particular places or ideas. Their “diaries” became parts of larger projects, such as the artistic initiative at the former gas plant at Hasanpaşa or the festival at Moda.
“In the case of our project, the book structure reflects the idea of us gathering together. It is like a unit made of single works,” said 216 artist Yasemin Erdin.
According to the artists, what makes the exhibition special is the lack of distance the artists tried to achieve with their works. “The fact that at most exhibitions the audience is allowed to look at the art, but not to touch doesn’t really allow them to get closer to art and develop a relationship with it,” said Erdin.
Telgeren said the distance between the art and the audience is a common social problem in Turkey. “Regular people are afraid of art,” she said. Erdin added, “They see artists as a margin of the society, the untouchables.”
“One of the ideas behind the 216 group was to show the artists as regular people whose profession is art. And we cannot get the most out of our work if we don’t communicate with people around us,” Erdin said.
City as a state of mind
The “Moda bellek defteri” (Moda memory book) is 216’s current project in which 15 artists presented their ideas and thoughts related to the place. “The way you perceive things is something personal,” Erdin said. “It makes you create your own reflection or a map in your head and it differs from person to person. It also explains our idea of a city experienced as a state of mind.”
Erdin’s work presented in the book is exactly this kind of reflection. “If you compare this picture with the real map, you will see what my impression of the place is,” she said. “To me it seems like my house is much closer to the sea than it really is, or that my studio is very close to my house, but it’s all in my imagination.”
Unique memories
Just like every artist has different memories regarding Moda, the paintings in the book also present a wide range of inspirations. Sevgi Yanar was inspired by a myth of a city of blind people, coming from the times when the current area of Kadıköy was known as Chalcedon. She positioned silhouettes known from the painting “The blind leading the blind” by Peter Breughel the Elder in the middle of a popular café overlooking the sea.
Sayat Uşaklıgil depicts one of the most important symbols of Moda, the old ferry port, which hasn’t changed since he was a child. The old postcard-like painting recalls the times when he used to come to the area with his family. “This place is my reflection of summer,” he said. “Moda hasn’t changed much throughout the years.”
The book project seems to be something more then just static images because a dancer, Stephanie Parent, together with photographer José Reina, has joined it as well. “Not the face was important here but the movement,” Parent said about the photo. “There is only one moving object, myself. There are some moments of the day when you can see exactly what the photo depicts and this is what reflects the feelings I have when I’m there.”
For Zeynep Akgün, Moda is a complex space. Lively on one hand, it attracts people to come here; on the other, it enables them to leave daily issues behind. “Whenever you feel exhausted, in Moda you can easily turn your back on problems,” Akgün said. “In my painting, the place gives you an opportunity to run away from what tires you.”
The area can be also seen through its characteristic features, like in Zeynep Cin Yeşildağ’s work presenting a well-known tree or the photo by Beyza Boynudelik depicting a historical building familiar to those living in the area. On the other hand, Ali Yılmaz sees Moda through the people living there. As he had a chance to get to know the inhabitants and their habits, in his opinion people are the ones who contribute the most to the ambience of a place.
Nur Gürel has been working on projects related to the city for the last two years, but for her Moda is the most nostalgic of all places. “From the miniature form in the book one can read a story of a place,” Gürel said.
“There is no other place like Moda,” 216 member Seçil Erel. “It is very easy to show a place that you are very close to.”
The “Moda memory book” is on display at the Art Studio Gallery in Bahariye Cad. Sokullu Sok. No.6 until Oct. 24. Starting Oct. 31 it will be presented at the TUYAP Art Fair until Nov. 8.