Disaster and Art Talks, 2023

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After returning from the disaster zone following the Hatay Earthquake, I was invited to participate in the exhibition Starting from the Middle curated by Karşı Sanat. The exhibition took place at Artİstanbul Feshane, a former fez factory that has been transformed into a culture and arts center operated by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

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My proposal was to organize a series of talks on the relationship between disaster and art, involving participants who had direct experience of the earthquake zone. However, before each talk began, the participants and I carried a large boulder found near the building and placed it on a pedestal. Only then did the talk -and art- start. When the talk ended, we carried the boulder back to its location.

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Carrying the boulder required at least three or four people. Three was dangerous and difficult; four was manageable. When there were not enough participants, we asked for help from members of the audience or passersby.

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I organized four sessions:

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·        May 13: with Ezgi Bakçay, Anıl Olcan, and Emre Yeksan

·        June 3 (noon): with Ateş Alpar, İlker Cihan Biner, and Özden Demir

·        June 3 (afternoon): with Ozan Çağlar and Nisa Leyla (with help from                   Özden Demir in carrying the boulder)

·        June 24: with İmre Azem and Etna Özbek

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