Rising Waters, Radiating Lights, a thought-provoking group exhibition curated by Gizem Demirçelik and Nazlı Yayla, brings together nine artists to address the urgent and shifting relationship between nature, mythology and human experience in the context of climate change. Featuring the work of Nezir Akkul, Omar Barquet, Sena Başöz, Itamar Gov, Larry Muñoz, İz Öztat, Yaşam Şaşmazer, Hale Tenger and Eşref Yıldırım, the show confronts the global environmental crisis through a rich tapestry of installations, vibrant sculptures, and multimedia pieces.
The artists draw on a range of mythological and environmental themes, blending past, present and future narratives to explore our collective anxiety about the future of the planet. In Rising Waters, Radiating Lights, the sea is no longer a symbol of serenity, but of an encroaching force, while the sun is both a source of life and an increasingly erratic force. The installation pieces, in particular, evoke a sense of foreboding – casting light on the fragile balance between nature’s power and humanity’s vulnerability.
Blending past, present,and future narratives, Rising Waters, Radiating Lights invites viewers to confront the delicate balance between nature’s power and humanity’s frailty, suggesting that our survival may hinge on both practical action and poetic resilience.
Alexander de Cramer
Issue 66, December 2023
Turkey’s Centenary Issue
