Conversation with Borga Kantürk, Didem Yazici, 2011
In his current solo exhibition, Borga Kantürk attempts to produce a new space in the art gallery through objects such as photo-print on wood, and mini portable slide projector. All the objects in the show are well-selected in order to reminisce a cafe construct. Anyone who likes to testify the changes in histories of spaces and anyone who likes to be caught up by yesterday and 70s spirit should see the exhibition.
Interview by Didem Yazıcı
The objects in the exhibition evokes nostalgic images such as an old film scene, or a song that you remember the melody but never the lyrics, or a memory of an old vacation to a little seaside town.This nostalgia here, refers to urban transformation and historical consciousness with undidactic way. Rather than an art gallery, it makes the audience feel like they are in a cafe.
The Exhibition is open for an emphaty, and there is no clear end to it. I consider the exhibition as a process in itself. I avoided the art works to have a definite message. Well, there is a conception but it is related with effort for creation. The atmosphere of the cafe is relevant to questions such as “why do you go to a cafe? What is the reason to go to a cafe?”
When you go to a cafe by yourself, probably you like to remember that place or you are attached to it, or you like to concentrate on something, or you might also let yourself go.. At that point, it is almost impossible to get any solution, you just spend some time there and you simply feel peaceful just to be there. Even though, you cannot find the receipt for your peace, you stil keep going to that cafe. I wanted to lead the exhibition audience to these feelings together with myself. I do not know the end, it is an on going process and the traces here are part of this process.
When you go to a cafe by yourself, probably you like to remember that place or you are attached to it, or you like to concentrate on something, or you might also let yourself go.. At that point, it is almost impossible to get any solution, you just spend some time there and you simply feel peaceful just to be there. Even though, you cannot find the receipt for your peace, you stil keep going to that cafe. I wanted to lead the exhibition audience to these feelings together with myself. I do not know the end, it is an on going process and the traces here are part of this process.
Your works have a sort of serious researcher sense and documentarism; on the other hand there is a humour when you’re reproducing an object or a situation. Can you talk about this contrast, how does it function?
Documentarism and record keeping is connected to discover my obsession of collecting. In first place, I discovered it when I was curating and I used it; later on I also started to use it form my own art practise. The humour there is not a fictional one. That is to say, there is no social gestures or any overturning taboos. I love the humorous situations as in Woodt Allen’s films: It is never so obvious but it makes you smile. I want to make people feel like ‘I am aware, but stil I keep doing it silence – to live, to survive, to be cared and etc.
You choose to desing the invitation as a part of the exhibition. Can you talk about that?
Invitation refers to ‘Cafe Recordis’, I designed it as a coaster. My dream is to see this art works to be installed in a new bar, cafe or a pub.
Your approach to the concept of ‘nostaljia’ seems to be the main decisive and motivation..
It is a little bit about getting capitalized.. to lose the sense of handing, I mean literally. For instance, an object for music: you can handle and touch the cassette; but with mp3 file it is impossible. In that case, there is no object, just consume and leave. There is no real effort there.
Mp3 has meanings and efforts in its own right fort he next generation.
What exactly concerns me here is the loss of object whic is not common in Europe for instance. In The Balkans or Dubai, it functions same as here. It is not possible to g oto a cafe from 1940s. Well, when you go to the place just after a year, you encounter a totally different content within the same place. In regards to this, the exhibition is about making a claim to your memory.
The exhibition is open till June 4th, 2011 in Gallery NON, İstanbul.
