An Exhibition on Architecture: ALANistanbul
On September 2, 2010, ALANistanbul hosted a reception for the opening of An Exhibition on Architecture, which explored the intersection of architecture and art. The question, “Can architecture be art?” was posed and points of contact between the two subjects were investigated.
The exhibition was held on the fourth floor in ALANistanbul, followed by a reception on the terrace. Sangria was offered, a DJ mixed tunes, and the Istanbul skyline (with a view of the Golden Horn and Galata Tower) offered a brilliant canvas of colors as the day ended and the evening was greeted.
An Exhibition on Architecture touches this controversial subject, the intersection of architecture and art, with total 7 works by 2 artists focusing on architectural and spatial denotations with 5 architecture and art collectives. Such architects and artists working or formerly employed in the field of architecture comprise of individuals who practiced at theoretical, artistic and professional fields regarding the relationship between architecture and art. Each group and artist exhibit their works specifically created for exhibition hall of ALANİstanbul as per their respective experiences. The works develop an insight for each work of another wording on the relation of architecture and art, occasionally problematic and controversial and occasionally complementary and nourishing.
Participants:
(f)Flat Architects // Muge Belek, Frederico Fiahlo
Salon 2 // C. Alper Derinbogaz, Nil Aynali, Enise Burcu Karacizmeli
Superpool // Selva Gurdogan, Gregers Tang Thomsen
Zemin // Nesli Kayali, Fatma Olgac, Cagdas Ozcanli
Gul & Arzu // Gul Cagin, Arzu Arda Kosar
Metehan Ozcan
Rowan Mersh
Curator // Efe Korkut Kurt
The exhibition runs until September 24, 2010 at ALANistanbul, Galip Dede Caddesi No:24/11 Kat:4 Tünel – Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey.
Details of Three Selected Works//
Denizli Municipality Headquarters//
Superpool
Selva Gurdogan, Gregers Tang Thomsen
“The landscape of the Denizli Municipality Headquarters is designed as a series of public meeting spaces. In this landscape of urban interaction, the role of the building is to define a zone of enclosures; the main entrance, foyer, city parliament, auditorium, exhibition hall, and library.
These spaces of public representation are the ornaments of the building, which is intentionally kept simple in mass; a 20 m wide bar optimized for office environments with natural light.
Thus the proposal is an attempt to create monumentality not through architectural detailing but through programming and exposure of the ‘ground’ level; the most accessible therefor important part of any building. The aim is incorporating the life of the city’s most vital plaza with its most vital function, self-governing.”
Disjointed City//
Gul & Arzu
Gul Cagin, Arzu Arda Kosar
“In his book ‘The Vatican to Vegas: The History of Special Effects’ Norman Klein talks about scripted spaces where, much like an interactive computer game, the consumer acts out the illusion of free will in carefully designed environments such as churches, casinos, malls, theme parks and gated communities that resemble heaven on earth. Half a century ago Guy Debord described psychogeography as “the study of the precise effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behaviors of individuals.”
The installation Disjointed City explores the reciprocal interaction between the urban environment and its inhabitants, the body and the city, how they effect, define and at times become each other. This fragmented cityscape juxtaposes depictions of modern apartment buildings rising above squatter shacks built overnight with abstract elements reminiscent of a moon/head/sledgehammer, describing a psychological space that is diverse, contradictory and in a constant state of flux.”
Spaces in Repose//
Metehan Ozcan
Selected quotation for the works description:
“Locations that have become independent of their inhabitants do not interpret this new situation as an ‘invasion’ or a ‘trespassing.’ Now there are no privacies, no curtains to be closed, nor doors that must be kept locked. They are not afraid of joining their bodies with the moss; they are not wary of having water circulate within them; losing their body parts does not frighten them. Because there is no boundary and no memory left to protect or defend. Because what is happening is a becoming - it is the desire to awaken to a strange tongue, a voice that is not one’s own. Because they are aware that they have to erase and rewrite themselves in order to survive.”
- Umut Sumnu
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on Sunday, September 5th, 2010 at 1:07 pm and is filed under Environmental Design, Renée van Staveren.
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October 12th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
thanks for sharing
January 8th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
Pretty nice. Could you bring more details…
February 17th, 2011 at 8:01 am
I just added your website to my blogroll, I hope you’d think about doing the same.