by Heidi Trautmann
To explain the background
thoughts of the LINE Project I simply give here the introduction text by the
curator Başak Şenova which will be followed by my own comments:
Art Rooms Kyrenia launches the second part of the LINE project. Curated
by Başak Şenova, the project consists of exhibitions, talks,
performances and a book launch.
The project gathers works, research and ideas that
accentuate the substance of correspondingly prevailing lines that constantly
overwrite each other. As the curatorial statement of the project indicates,
“the fine line between ‘the self’ and its surroundings has always been
penetrated from both sides. Yet this line determines the position and identity
of the self. The things ‘the self’ desires to sink into oblivion are pushed to
the other side of this line. Therefore, this very line also functions as a tool
for unresponsiveness and blindness.”
The first exhibition, which took place in March 2015 at Art
Rooms, presented projects, research and works consisting of installations,
drawings, video works, paintings and photographs by Ali Cherri, Almagul
Menlibayeva, Benji Boyadgian, Ceren Oykut, Maria Loizidou, and Oya
Silbery.
In the same vein, the second exhibition adds Henrik
Lund Jørgense, Fatma Bucak, Ibro Hasanović, Hera Büyüktaşçıyan, Emre
Ekinci, Christina Georgiou and Oya Akın to the
project.
There will be a talk with the curator and the artists of the LINE project prior to the
opening of the second exhibition. The project will be concluded with a book
launch at the gallery space on the last day of the exhibition.
As the outcome of Art Rooms Kyrenia’s different
collaborations or with other institutions, the exhibitions of
the LINE project
will travel to different venues and geographies, starting in 2016 with
the Museum of Fine Arts (Galerija Umjetnina)in Split,
Croatia.
In March 2015, after the
opening of the first phase of the project, I wrote my toughts down in the
following link: http://www.heiditrautmann.com/category.aspx?CID=5831681363#.VhtjBeyqpBd
In the second phase six artists
from different geographies make their artistic statements about the position of
the Self in its surroundings. Statements to disturbing events in the world are
always based on one’s own background experiences. People growing up in
mountainous areas will respond differently to a situation than people who grow
up by the sea, this just to give an example; thus their eyes and mind will pick
up individual situations with a different angle of view.
In the second phase were mainly
shortfilms and photo series on human, political and social situations such as
the walk of two women on either side of the dividing wall in Nicosia ‘Voicing
the Line’ by Christina Georgiou in collaboration with Oya Akin. Here it is not alone
the images of the two women walking and not seeing each other but their voices
that call out to each other ‘it is enough’.
The project ‘Four Walls’ by
Emre Akinci is describing the current status of a derelict building that
witnessed the war in Cyprus.
The refugees situation in
Europe was the project by Henrik Lund Joergense ‘Friends he lost at sea’ using
paintings by the Danish painter Michael Ancher as a reference for his video.
Fatma Bucak’s short film comments
on cultural differences with respect to generations, gender, religious patterns
using the example of Turkish and Armenian border life.
A film shot in the Yugoslav
Navy training ship Galeb – the Ghosts of Galeb – that went through different
hands, first as Tito’s yacht, until it
became a tourist attraction.
Finally a documentation in a
series of drawings by Hera Büyüktaşçıyan on the submarıne telegraph cables, a line for
the flow of information, a history brought to light ....or rather to paper.
The LINE projects of the second
phase need explaining to the viewer, the text is attached to the wall, and one
must read it first before watching the short films or following the series of
photos. They must be understood as comments to a situation, as an artistic
conclusion.
I would like to say some words
on the ArtRooms Gallery itself: It always is a pleasure to come to the art
events organised by Oya Silbery; each event gets its own framework, the walls
and the rooms become part of an exhibition by adapting them to the artistic
statement of the works on display. It is an aesthetic pleasure to walk around
the gallery rooms which absolutely meet international standards. Well done Oya.
Also the catalagues are carefully designed and a pleasure to have. As it is said above, this exhibition’s book
launch will be on the last day of the exhibition.