Friday 27 April 2012

Exhibition: "Gözlem // Observation"

 
Permanent Collection From Dr. Esat Işık Cad. Moda
1 Lira - 100 Kuruş
Mexico 66 - Copy of the Copy

Gözlem (Observation) is an exhibition realized by five artists Selin Bourquin (Switzerland),  Samuel  Burkhardt, Julia Herfurth, Christian Klier (Germany) and Uli Fohler (Austria) who met in Istanbul  in Fall 2011.

Gözlem took place between 28.02.2012 and 03.03.2012, at Lütfiye Apt. No: 14 Moda, Istanbul.
The exhibition project was curated by Sezgi Abalı and İpek Çankaya and supported by halka art project.

The idea of forming a collective came after the discussion on their perceptions of life in this city.

Gözlem is an attempt to share their five month experience  as the foreigners who found themselves being naively caught between excitement and amazement.

The discovery of the “ungraspable” matrix of life- systems, certain values, social structures, speed of life, fluctuation, quick glance on the market situation,  economic diversity, buzzingly-detailed market life, gorgeously personal exchange and consumption stories and friendly people revealed  an interesting playing ground.

The structural basis of the exhibition stands on two concepts: “Borrowing “ and “Buying" which are respectively used on socially based interactions and market relations.

Gözlem is an attempt to share some of this perspective with the city’s inhabitants. Focusing on the evident recurrent consumption in the city, the exhibition tries to propose a foreign interpretation of some matters concerning the subject in Istanbul.

The attitude of the artist collective in the conceptual and creative process can be interpreted as being ironic and sometimes intentionally funny and clumsy.

The exhibition showcases three groups of works entitled “1 Lira- 100 Kuruş”, “Mexico 66- Copy of the Copy”, and “Permanent- Collection from Moda Cad. and Dr. Esat Işık Cad.”.




Monday 23 April 2012

"i am out of words" by Julia Vaz




Current artist in residence at halka art project Julia Vaz shows the work she has been producing since she came to Istanbul for her residency term between 10.04 – 04.05.2012.


Although she had already started working with colour in other works, this time she ventured with it more in the drawings, even including new colour to the supports.
The subjects aren't completely objective, but each piece tells a small story, and every one of them have got words or sentences that aren't there to describe or explain these stories, but to add another aesthetic element to them poetically.


In addition to her other pieces, the drawings now incorporated many new elements, such as cats, a very common sight all over the city.


Julia's experience in Istanbul is full of new confrontations: a new city, new customs, new people, and new language.


On the opening of her exhibition on 02 May 2012 at 19.00 she will make a performance based on her first encounter with a new language, questioning the way we communicate and exploring the necessity of language itself in our interpersonal relationships and what we may gain without it.


The performance and the exhibition will take place at halka art project's premises in Caferağa Mah. Dr. Esat Işık Cad. Ruşen Ağa Sok. No:8 Moda/Kadıköy, İstanbul.

Julia Vaz was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1984, and graduated at Escola de Belas Artes, UFRJ, 2007. Group exhibitions: "Coletiva", Galeria Ímpar, São Paulo, 2011, "Parte Feira de Arte Contemporânea", São Paulo, 2011, "Videos Desvenda", Recife and Porto Alegre, 2011, “Universid’Arte”, 2007; “Piscinão da Benvinda de Carvalho”, at Galeria Murilo Castro, Belo Horizonte, 2008; “[Des]Limites da Arte”, at Parque das Ruínas, RJ, 2010; solo exhibition “Biota”, at Centro Cultural Paschoal Carlos Magno, Niterói, RJ, 2008. Works with video, drawing and other medias.

Tuesday 3 April 2012

Exhibition: "Please Wait" by Sam Bunn


Over the past month Sam Bunn has been developing an interactive sculptural installation for halka art project’s residency programme. The work comes complete with a User Manual, printed in both Turkish and English.

The artist describes the work by saying, “It’s a stripped down sculpture show with buttons to press, where things don’t move by themselves and give is not the same as take. And yes, there is a performative element to it. ”

The installation opens on Friday 6th April, from 7-10pm, and will also be open Saturday, 7th April (11am-6pm). There is limited space available inside the exhibition, so please be prepared to wait.