We have been torn between moving forward towards the direction we aim and blowing in the wind for a while. Sometimes closer to one side, sometimes to the other. And sometimes, right in the middle, on-a knife-edge. Learning acrobatics to move with balance and not hurting ourselves. And, we are all so tired!
I am in Arter again at a similar time, to take a breath out of the scene. I will jump into it anyways, but it is sometimes good to observe issues from outside. In the Realm of the Senseless!
I start viewing the exhibition from the ground floor. With a smiling emoji. In the dark. When you enter, in glass divisions there are crowds consisting of ripped or ripping, half-naked, naked, humans, creatures, penguins eating polar bears and so on.
This is the first time I realise that I can look at violence, blood, broken bodies, and fight without feeling anything. Neither turning my face away nor feeling scared or anxious. I did not seek hope, either. A Nazi officer holding pretty balloons in the middle of the fierce did not bring any hope, and it did not resemble any lightening feeling. Most probably, holding those balloons was his responsibility. He was ordained. He has the same impact and responsibility with the other officer who drives a tank over people out there.
There are miniature symbolic sculptures’ crowds in separate glass divisions. They represent obvious economic or social movements, ages, as clear as any person in the street can understand what they mean. Dinasours, spaceport, stone age cars, Nazi officers, Mc Donald’s clown, they are all in the same place. Intensity of the symbolic characters in divisions support perception of time. On the other hand, their being all together all the time and the chaos reminds the relativity of time and space. A journey from animals to humans, relating with nature, then science, socialism and capitalism; if you go from right to left in the exhibition area. Naked people or the clown on the cross. Just like nowadays. As in the past. As in the future. So, nothing changes. From my university times, this still resonates in my mind; “In a rapidly changing environment…”. Now, my perception seeks for a new balance since sublimity of transformation is shaking and I realize that deep down, nothing changes but shapes, colors or sizes.
Works here: The Sum of All Evil, World Peace Through World Domination II, III, IV, Unhappy Feet, Nein! Eleven, Altered Towers
The space takes more light in the middle section. Telling deep stories with primitive material was new for me when I saw Paulina Maksijan’s exhibition, namely, The Secret Garden. I leave here questioning how we define an artwork as artwork; through its material, idea, correlation of these and application processes.
Paintings on the wall are so complicated for today. It can be interesting to see 2D, sepia views that have distorted and colored with heads of creatures and animals. However, it is too tiring to be included in such an environment while minds, souls and the world have the same already. Let’s say, this is another reflection of today.
Works here: We Are Artists II, The Same Thing Only Better, SHITROSPECTIVE, Insult to Injury
Ohh! Unconsciously, I had such a big relief when I arrived words with light upstairs. It was a relief of having a chance to see my mind as an outsider with the context and concept here. I leave it here distorted. As it is; in line with the exhibition framework. Starting with oxymoronity and being added to each other in the realm of the senseless.
This area, which carries a noisy installement, is like nowadays, so familiar. This is like our childhood, teenage times, houses, streets, bedrooms, books of recent past and today’s. Seeing the exhibition area from the ground to the top is the best option to adopt myself to the street easier.
Works here: Archival Work, 1971-2013, CFC74378524, One Day You Will No Longer Be Loved II (# 4), One Day You Will No Longer Be Loved II (# 8), One Day You Will No Longer Be Loved (that it should come to this…) V, CFC72337192, The New Arrival, The Axminister of Evil, IDIOTIDYLL II, The Disease Within The Disease, CFC76372567, Swallow it Dog
For example, walking down to a church after Arter. In the 5-meter long stairway between the gate and outdoor of the church building, I am slowly walking down, a family of three is coming up. On the left, there is a woman on her lover’s lap, making love. A group of young musicians singing pop-arabesque, heard so bold. In the realm of the senseless. In the togetherness of different realms of different senses.
