#houhanru

THE ENCOUNTER OF 2 RAINBOWS 

“Today, Istanbul has become one of the most important hubs in the network of global cities. And it’s a particularly intense and inspiring one because, once more, it’s been put on the front lines of confrontations and negotiations between different economic, cultural and geopolitical systems. It is, of course, situated between Europe and Asia, or between the “West” and the “East” at a time when these terms continue to be destabilized and deconstructed, replaced by others such as the “North” and the “South.” One should define the meaning of its location in a more complex manner in this time of global wars. These geographically complicated wars take place in every area, from more conventional military conflicts to more “invisible” economic, cultural, political and religious terrains... And they are reshaping the world”. - Hou Haru, director of MAXXI Museum and curator of this exhibition said. 

HALİL ALTINDERE, “Carpet Land”, 2012. C-print mounted on aluminium, 100x170 cm Courtesy of the artist and PILOT Gallery, Istanbul

According with the curators, the exhibition - presents the work of 45 artists, architects and intellectuals - resulted from a long-term research inspired by conversations with the local creative community of Istanbul. Starting out with reflections on key issues spotlighted in the Gezi Park protests in 2013, the exhibition focuses the current mutations of the urban, cultural and social reality in Istanbul and their impacts on creative practices. Specifically, it highlights questions about gentrification, ecological crisis and informal and self-organization initiatives which seem to be crucial in the country today.  Last but not least, the exhibition also pays a strong attention to  urgent geopolitical issues such as those of minorities and refugees. 

ZEYNO PEKÜNLÜ, “At the Edge of All Possibles”, 2014 Lecture Performance, 50 min. Foto Mustafa Hazneci