BAHAR

Fotos der Ausstellung & Performances

13. Mai - 10. Juni 2017
Mehrere Orte in Istanbul, Türkei
Interlocutor: Zeynep Öz

Taking place in various locations across Istanbul, BAHAR [Spring] is the second of four Sharjah Biennial 13: Tamawuj (SB13) off-site projects centred around the keywords ‘water’, ‘crops’, ‘earth’ and ‘culinary’. SB13 curator Christine Tohme has invited Zeynep Öz to be the interlocutor who researches and dialogues with the keyword ‘crops’. Öz has conceived and organised a programme of commissioned exhibitions and performances to be presented from 13 May to 10 June 2017, which coincide with Turkey’s Hıdırellez festival, a celebration of the arrival of spring and revival of nature.

Öz’s intervention follows the life cycle of seeds, exploring questions of dormancy and latency as well as states of pauses in our lives and sleep, and connects this cycle to a wider examination of the psychological, institutional and cultural. Seed dormancy – when seeds remain inert due to unsuitable germination conditions – is defined as arrested growth, a temporary halt, a state of rest and a period of waiting. A vital mechanism for enhancing the probability of survival, dormancy ensures the temporal (and spatial) dispersal of seeds as they wait for their turn to awake. Inspired by the crucial significance of timing in the processes of seed dormancy, BAHAR explores the suspension of activity and the different stages and implications of sleep. The question of whether seeds will remain dormant or people inactive, or whether a source of energy will spur growth or awaken the development process is critical.

Programme

Designed to elicit issues, ideas and discussions around the keyword ‘crops’ prior to the project launch in May, two preliminary weekend programme related to the planting of seeds took place at SALT Galata in Istanbul between 23 and 25 March and 5 and 7 April. Considering issues of latency, the programmes presented talks by Matthew Gumpert, Bella Habip, Aslı Niyazioğlu, Özgür Öğütcen and Işıl Baysan Serim together with a series of film screenings curated by Fol, Canan Balan (in collaboration with Silent Cinema Days) and Çiçek Kahraman & Övgü Gökçe.

The BAHAR exhibition (13 May—10 June, Abud Efendi Mansion, Sultanahmet) features commissioned works by artists Sena Başöz, Aslıhan Demirtaş, Merve Ertufan, Alev Ersan, Fatma Belkıs, Bengi Güldoğan, Pınar Öğrenci, Ali Taptık, Deniz Tortum and Ülgen Semerci & Burcu Yağcıoğlu alongside existing works by Bryony Dunne, Onur Gökmen, Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige, João Modé and Olivia Plender.

Also on view are special projects from Ayça İnce (Ek Biç Ye İç) & Begüm Atakan, the curatorial collective Das Art Project, torna (with folio) and artist collective Signs of Time. The opening week programme (13-16 May, various locations) will also include the launch of a book by Kerim Bayer and an interview with Zeki Alasya as well as a range of performances by Onur Karaoğlu*, biriken*, Doa Aly and A Corner in the World.
* Note each performance has a limited capacity. Register by May 10th, 2017 at info(at)baharadogru.com.

(Aus Presseinformationen, 24. April 2017)

Über Zeynep Öz
Zeynep Öz ist eine freischaffende Kuratorin in der Türkei, die sich insbesondere für den Prozess des künstlerischen Schaffens interessiert. Sie war Kuratorin der Aichi Triennale, Japan (2016); Selling Snails in the Muslim Neighbourhood, Westfälischer Kunstverein, Münster, Deutschland (2013) und Plastic Veins, Home Works 6, Ashkal Alwan, Beirut (2013). 2011 ist sie Mitbegründerin von SPOT Contemporary Art Projects, Istanbul, und sie ist Kuratorin von SPOT Production Fund projects. Sie war Assistenzkuratorin von Home Works 5, Ashkal Alwan, Beirut (2010). Öz entwickelte kuratoriale und künstlerische Projekte u.a. im Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Baltimore, USA; Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, und im Frankfurter Kunstverein.

Über Christine Tohmé
siehe die Biographie