ART CITIES:Istanbul- One And The Many
Following a shift in the mid-80s from a mixed to a liberal economy, for the first time ever producers in Turkey could trade in foreign currencies without supervision by the state. This economic novelty complemented the infrastructure of industrialization, which had been championed since the’ 50s by the private sector. The booming economy translated itself into a variety of goods, forming a visibly and materially globalized Turkey, clustered in the country’s larger cities.
By Efi Michalarou
Photo: SALT Galata Archive
“One and the Many” is a research-based exhibition that looks into the production and distribution of things. It tackles the period 1955-95 in Turkey, by following the material results of gradual industrialization as well as its contingent infrastructural disposals. The exhibition frames the topic primarily via the stories of selected artifacts common to the ‘80s, a period when industrial products met a voluminous consumer market for the first time. Turkey’s urban centers became the key places of transition, providing simultaneously, hand and machine made, local and global brands, comfortable and provident lifestyle choices. Due to the growing accessibility of global communication networks, international influences of the time were readily present. The immediate images of abundance and prosperity soon hatched into promises of upgraded lifestyles. By bringing together artifacts and stories from a wide variety of industries, the exhibition informs consumers of less known narratives and allows them to add information that will expand the research. It also bridges the period’s ripple effects on cultural economy by additionally introducing less common scenes from the practices of contemporary art and fashion: moments that expose the nurturing of a particular fascination with the concept of unique products. The research and narrative of “One and the Many” are structured around the notion of genuine copies. Questioning our standard expectation of ingenuity versus the opportunity of building atop each other’s ideas, the exhibition suggests a fresh perspective on the history of production in Turkey. From the early-day assembly industry, to today’s abundant copyright infringing replicas, copies have been scrutinized from both economic and intellectual viewpoints. The exhibition is part of the five-year program “The Uses of Art – The Legacy of 1848 and 1989”, organized by L’Internationale.
Info: SALT Galata, Bankalar Caddesi 11, Karaköy 34420, Istanbul, Duration: 6/9-13/11/16, Days & Hours: Tue-Sat 12:00-20:00, Sun 12:00-18:00, http://saltonline.org
