| Artful Living

ÖNCEKİ

22 MART, CUMA, 2013

SONRAKİ

It was anticipated from an exposition that has been running for thirty two years, to get stronger regardless of the economical crisis. ARCOmadrid is good example for that. This year's guest in the exposition, in which mostly Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese galleries take place, was Turkey. The selection made by Vasfı Kortun as the curator, gathered ten galleries from Turkey under the title Focus: Turkey. Artful Living is reporting from ARCOmadrid and Madrid's rooted art environment.

In the recent years we witness that the curator, artist and gallery managers as well as a lot of collectors attending in groups to expositions and biennials abroad. I guess this positive improvement hasn't been overlooked by the commercial art enterprises - Galleries from Turkey attended as hosts with special invitation to the expositions in Vienna last year and to ARCOmadrid this year . Turkish selection has brought ten galleries by Vasıf Kortun as the curator.

Aslı Çavuşoğlu's a three video installation called A Murder in Three Acts and Meriç Algün Ringborg's work called 'Becoming European' were in the forefront in Gallery NON. Çevuşoğlu's video, which she has prepared for Frieze Projects and presented the first time in Frieze and later she made the second presentation in ARCOmadrid, is drawing attention to art work-market relationship by using the language and imagery in detective movies. Gallery Nev has included a selection of powerful artists such as Canan Tolon, İnci Eviner and Nermin Er as well as Ali Kazma's video, which is going to present Turkey this year in Venice Biennale. Halil Altındere and Bashir Borlakov's works were presented in Pilot and Galeri Mana’da Kutluğ Ataman’s video installation called fff was presented in Gallery Mana. Found Family Footage was presented first time in Ataman's galley in UK by Thomas Dane. Ataman's video installation Mayhem was screened in the solo booth.

Elipsis with the photographs of Yusuf Sevinçli, Seza Bali and Serkan Taycan, Rodeo with the work of Banu Cennetoğlu, Dirimart with Ekrem Yalçındağ, Özlem Günyol – Mustafa Kunt and Ramazan Bayrakoğlu, X-ist with Canan, Nalan Yırtmaç, Ceren Oykut; Rampa with Hüseyin Alptekin and Nilbar Güreş's work also attended the exposition. Maçka Art Gallery, which has an important place in the development of contemporary art in Turkey was not forgotten in the selection. A selection of works from the artists who attended the exhibition held due to the 35 years of the Maçka Art Gallery, in the booth of the gallery.

Publication and art institutions such as Contemporary Istanbul, Akbank Sanat (Akbank Art), Proje 4L Contemporary Art Museum, Art Unlimited magazine, RES Magazine besides the galleries have also attended in the exposition.

ARCOmadrid awarded the international collector prize to the founder of Proje 4L Elgiz Contemporary Art Museum and collector Sevda- Can Elgiz couple. The founders of Collectorspace Bilge and Haro Cümbüşyan couple were rewarded for their opening their private collections mission and thier entrepreneurship as collectors.

ARCOmadrid was not the only space, where art from Turkey was presented in Madrid. Halil Altındere retrospective was opened in the city by the director of CA2M, which has an important place from the point of location and mission, Ferran Barenblit as the curator. Also, Sibel Horada, İz Öztat and Dilek Winchester have developed their projects for five weeks within the scope of Here Together Now guest artist project in Matadero that was introduced to the city back through transformation from an old slaughter house into an art institution and they were presented during the exposition.

There was more: Barış K, who is one of the pioneers of the boom of re-mixing old Turkish pop music in order to make them popular again, did not leave our big group from Turkey alone. At the end of each night we met in Bar Cock; made the summary of the day; the exhibitions to visit were suggested; gin and tonics that turned into a tradition in the bars of Madrid, were sipped.

Looking from an outside perspective, it can said that the exposition made a clever choice this year to invite collectors, galleries and artists, who have important contribution to improving Turkish economy. It is certain that it has made a positive step directed to the future in the name of art communication in between Spain - Turkey or Madrid - Istanbul. The Turkish Airlines advertisements on the tube walls were showing the Spanish people, who wish to experience the Mediterranean spirit in a different country, İstanbul as an alternative. After Madrid the next stop looks like Dubai. The most sensational events of the year will be Venice and Istanbul Biennials.

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