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Contemporary art embarks on Mardin initiative ahead of biennial
Just like the water coming from the fountain in the medrese, there is a new birth in Mardin. Modern art will look for its new stop in this province. The preliminary exhibition held in cooperation with the Mardin Governor’s Office and the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Administration Directorate, called “I Received Your Invitation. Thank You,” and titled “Mardingüncel,” is actually a forerunner and a bit of a test for the province before the Mardin Biennale is held in 2010. The exhibition, which opened in late October at the historic Kasımiye Medresesi, is curated by Döne Otyam and features videos, installations and paintings by 15 artists, including Mehmet Güleryüz, Erdağ Aksel, Hüseyin Çağlayan, Twin Gabriel, Gani Llalloshi, Oliver Musovik, Ahmet Müderrisoğlu, Ferhat Özgür and Goran Skofic.
The inauguration of the exhibition attracted wide interest from Mardin residents. After the opening of a city museum and the Dilek Sabancı Art Gallery, Mardin residents are becoming more and more acquainted with art.
Dream of a medrese in which the voice of water coming from the garden is accompanied by moonlight. You are right in the middle of a dream as effective as smells coming from frankincense. It would be impossible to wake up from this dream if there were no video works hanging on the cloister piers of the medrese, giant photographs hanging from upper stairs and sculptures under the cloisters. As the yards, derviş rooms and classroom of the medrese are turned into places of art, you are in a two different ages at once. The 15th century medrese is a place where all beauty unites in harmony. The exhibition hosted by the medrese aims to enliven Mardin through artists, academics, students and groups of different cultures, to bring new dimensions to the conventional definitions of “center” in art and to bring Mardin to a central position through a series of exhibitions.
‘Art must not be introduced to Anatolia suddenly and unexpectedly’
Even though most of the projects on display have not been prepared specifically for this exhibition, there are some good and new works, too. İstanbul is certainly saturated with modern art. Beyond İstanbul, there is a vein, attempting to expand. While noting that the spread of art to Anatolia scares him, artist Aksel says: “I hesitate a bit. Goodwill is not enough. Some things must be planned very well.” Güleryüz agrees with Aksel, stating that such sudden works of art are a bit dangerous and that residents of the place must be prepared first. In an attempt to be more optimistic, Güleryüz expresses hope that the event shall see further editions.
Curator Otyam, on the other hand, says: “There are many young artists in Mardin working on modern art. This is especially true in Kızıltepe. I am on the side of making art in public places. Mardin residents are also very interested in art. Doing something here is really challenging. Whether people understand the works at the exhibition or not does not matter. How many people understand the works at the İstanbul Biennale? Next year, artists from the region will be included, and an exhibition will be opened with 50 people. We are going to make use of a lot of places of the province.”
Foreign artists included in the exhibition also enjoy the event. Kosovar artist Llalloshi refers to the modern world ironically with his photographs and says taking part in an exhibition at such a historical venue is a pleasure. However, artists are a bit worried that the works at the exhibition are not insured. Otyam says insurance companies were not willing to become involved with the event.
The exhibition will run through Nov. 30.
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