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Exhibition seeks out Turkish-Italian artistic convergences
“Arriving in Italy from Turkey, for example, are Abdullah Aykut Sarıbaş, Fatih Mika and İrem İncedayı, painters and graphic designers with a traditional language, as we might say today, but whose experience is significant and essential in order to gauge the depth and variety of Italian-Turkish exchange. In fact, all three artists trained in our country, where they developed their projects, though without losing sight of their origins and reference culture or cultures,” she writes in the show’s catalog.
The first floor of the gallery showcases an installation of hotel signs by the late artist Hüseyin Bahri Alptekin, a mosaic of chocolates titled “The Byzantine World,” by Aldo Mondino, tile works from Sarenco, a video from Agnese Purgatorio and an oil painting from Daniele Galliano, titled “Punk in İstanbul vs. Erkin Koray.”
The second floor features art pieces from Aykut Sarıbaş, Fatih Mika, İrem İncedayı, Ali Kazma and Domingo Notaro.
The third floor of the show is devoted to a number of artists exploring issues related to women. Among these are photos and the wedding dresses of Pippa Bacca and Silvia Moro from their joint performance “Brides on Tour,” a hitchhiking journey from Europe to the Middle East that tragically came to an unexpected end in Turkey when Pippa Baca was raped and murdered.
Exploring women’s issues
While Pippa Bacca and Moro’s works touch the many problems women encounter in a subtle way, the works by other artists in the show, such as Şükran Moral, Fatma Bucak and Agnese Purgatorio’s works are more direct and perhaps even disturbing for the audience at times. The curator considers Purgatorio and Bucak as more related to metaphors and narratives while, on the other hand, Bacca/Moro and Şükran Moral’s works are definitely theatrical, or in other words based on performed actions.
“They both indeed do what they show and represent and this personal participation is a basic part of the work itself. They not only created a piece but engaged themselves in risky, complex, daring and exemplary actions, while both Agnese Purgatorio and Fatma Bucak work on texts – from ancient Latin quotations to poetry -- and use their bodies as an ‘instrument’ to get the proper aesthetic effect,” Crognati explains, noting that she does not think any of the pieces are disturbing or provoking just for the sake of being such. “They are both very subtle and poetical. I think the women issue is crucial in [present day] artistic practices, especially in the Middle East.”
“All of the pieces [featured in this show] belong to contemporary art in terms of technique, language and conceptual attitude.”
“I know there are a variety of themes and mediums in the exhibition. Nonetheless, it was not conceived as a thematic exhibit,” Crognati says. “I wanted to explore the relationships and reciprocal connections [between Turkey and Italy],” which she strongly believes to exist.
“Contemporary Artists between Italy and Turkey,” a joint effort by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Cultural Institute in İstanbul and the Yapı Kredi Cultural Center, will continue until Aug. 1. For more information, visit www.ykykultur.com.tr.
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