On the initiation of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) and with the gracious contribution of 21 supporters, Turkey obtains a long-term venue in the Venice Biennale, one of world’s leading contemporary art and architecture events. The allotment of 20 years (from 2014 to 2034) at Arsenale, one of the two main venues of the event, will allow the Pavilion of Turkey to take part for the first time this year in the International Architecture Exhibition, la Biennale di Venezia.
In its debut year in 2014, the Pavilion of Turkey at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia that will run from 7 June through to 23 November will present the project Places of Memory, performed by the curator Murat Tabanlıoğlu, the project coordinator Pelin Derviş and a team of exhibitors.
Places of Memory will be the first project to be presented in Turkey’s recently secured venue for 20 years in Arsenale, one of the two main venues of the event. The Pavilion of Turkey is coordinated by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, co-sponsored by VitrA and Schüco Turkey, and realised with the contribution of the Promotion Fund of the Turkish Prime Ministry, under the auspices of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Republic of Turkey. The details of the Pavilion of Turkey at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia were revealed at a press meeting on the 10th of March at Salon located at İKSV headquarters. Executive Vice President, Eczacıbaşı Building Products Division Atalay Gümrah on behalf of VitrA also participated and delivered a speech: “We believe architecture and urban planning are crucial for a country like Turkey which has a rich historical background. Our brand VitrA is a solution partner for architectural practices in achieving good architectures. We support projects that focus on architecture and develop our own projects. In this respect, we are proud to be among the co-sponsors of the Pavilion of Turkey.”
Following the speeches, curator Murat Tabanlıoğlu explained the conceptual framework of the project Places of Memory, which attempts to explore the main theme of the biennial via perceptions and experiences. With an idea departing from three areas of Istanbul:
Taksim-Salıpazarı, Bâb-ı Âli and Büyükdere Boulevard, places that acted as thresholds during different stages of the curator’s life, the project will focus on the concept of place itself, incorporated with the subjective vision of every exhibitor in the team. İKSV has formed a Scientific Committee to provide with the necessary academic support and counselling in the project. The Scientific Committee members, Istanbul Technical University Architecture Department lecturer Prof. Dr. Arzu Erdem, Istanbul Şehir University Sociology Department lecturer and Director of the Center for Urban Studies Prof. Dr. Murat Güvenç, Aga Khan Award for Architecture former General Secretary and President of the World Architecture Community Prof. Dr. Suha Özkan, and Mardin Artuklu University Dean of Faculty of Architecture Prof. Dr. Uğur Tanyeli also attended the press meeting.
Places of Memory
—Murat Tabanlıoğlu
Rather than conducting a historical account of modern epoch in Turkey, presenting an exhaustive catalogue, or trying to capture its unique local attributes, “Places of Memory” attempts to explore the main theme of the biennial via perceptions and experiences. The project idea departs from three areas of Istanbul: The first comprises Taksim, where I was born and grew up. Taksim is also an important square, with a constantly changing appearance because of partial and inconsistent interventions. The Atatürk Cultural Center, situated on the narrower end of the square, is a symbol of modern architecture in Turkey. My father, Hayati Tabanlıoğlu, was the architect. This first area spreads out across a wider zone, and continues downhill from the square to the coast, passes along the warehouses designed by Sedad Hakkı Eldem, an important representative of 20th century architecture in Turkey, reaching Salıpazarı harbor. Like many other areas in Istanbul, this area, too, is undergoing transformation. The GalataPort project (a master plan proposal, 2001) developed by us (Tabanlıoğlu Architects) for the area and the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, which we transformed from a warehouse into a museum (2004), were among projects that triggered change in this area. The second area is Bâb-ı Âli, where I spent my youth. Starting in Sirkeci, the area used to host the headquarters of important newspapers and printing houses in Turkey along two sides of the Cağaloğlu slope.
I used to pass through this world every day since I studied in a high school in the same area. The final one is Büyükdere Boulevard and its environs. This area, once lined with fields and orchards, later with light industry buildings, today is in juxtaposition with the CBD, featuring high-rise buildings especially between Levent-Maslak axes that connect main transportation routes of the city. A detailed discussion of these places that acted as thresholds during different stages of my life—or in a sense, my memory—seeded the first layers of the conceptual framework. Our focus in the exhibition is not necessarily on these places, but rather on the concept of place itself, incorporated with the subjective vision of every exhibitor in the team. The works interact with each other via different approaches based on different scales and mediums. We chose not to write in advance the story that might emerge from this project. We will see the outcome together. This is a conscious decision that keeps us on edge, but one that also holds potentials.
Pavilion of Turkey Workshops
A series of panels will be held in the 14th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia with the participant countries. Turkey will participate to this panel with a large international student workshop. Murat Tabanlıoğlu is getting organised for the programme with graduate students who are enrolled to his studio in the 2014 spring semester at Istanbul Bilgi University Architectural Design Department. A group of students from Politecnico di Milano and students from various architecture schools in Turkey will participate to the workshop programme that includes an exhibition and discussion of student works in Venice during the biennial.
“Places of Memory“ Book
A book is prepared to accompany the project based on interviews with Murat Tabanlıoğlu, Pelin Derviş, Ali Taptık, Alper Derinboğaz, Candaş Şişman, Metehan Özcan and Serkan Taycan, conducted by Luca Molinari, the curator of the Italian Pavilion at the 12th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia in 2010. Designed by Aslı Altay (Future Anecdotes Istanbul) who has also designed the communication materials of the project, the book will be available at the opening of the biennial with two separate editions in Turkish and English and will subsequently be sold in bookstores.
The 14th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia
The 14th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia will feature country pavilions besides the main exhibition entitled “Fundamentals” curated by Rem Koolhaas. Rem Koolhaas suggested the participating countries to engage a single theme Absorbing Modernity: 1914-2014 and therefore, focus on a common topic and develop their own approach from a unique standpoint.
