EXHIBITION

What Is To Be Done?

EXHIBITION
What Is To Be Done?

Elif Ayşe Bursalı Eryılmaz

She graduated from Marmara University, Department of Economics. She completed her master's degree in Cultural Management at Istanbul Bilgi University with the thesis The Role of Artist Initiatives and Artist-run Spaces in Istanbul Contemporary Art Space. She has been working at PASAJ Independent Art Space, of which she is one of the founding members, since 2010. She has been conducting the Artist In Residency Bayrampaşa program in collaboration with Ramada Encore Bayrampaşa hotel and PASAJ since 2017. She graduated from Curating Contemporary Art programme conducted jointly by Akbank Sanat and Open Dialogue İstanbul in 2024.

What Is To Be Done?

The "What Is to Be Done?" exhibition provides viewers with an in-depth perspective on the causes and consequences of the ecological crisis while questioning what actions can be taken on individual and societal levels to counter it.

To address the ecological crisis, significant initiatives are being undertaken worldwide, with agreements signed and commitments made at the state level. Within the framework of sustainability practices, individuals and companies are re-evaluating their ways of living and doing business.

On the other hand, the global economy continues to operate under the rules of capitalism. Industries such as energy, textiles, food, and many others relentlessly pursue profit maximization with superficial environmental policies, their sole aim being to ensure the continuity of consumption.
Given this situation, as we teeter on the brink of an irreversible ecological crisis, what will happen to humanity and the planet if the intended goals cannot be achieved?

We find ourselves in a state where people are unaware of what they need to do individually to overcome this crisis, are not conscious of the urgency, and do not know how to integrate these measures into their daily lives. Renowned ecological activist Timothy Morton, who explores the complexities of ecological crises and the challenges of addressing them in his work, emphasizes the need for humanity to confront ecological issues and recognize their intricate nature.

One of the key inspirations for this exhibition is the possibility of igniting a spark that will awaken and shake people.

In this context, one of the central themes of the exhibition is the "regenerative economy," an economic model that encourages the efficient and sustainable use of existing resources as an alternative to the production and consumption dynamics of the current economic system. The regenerative economy aims to enable local communities to create new values using their own resources, thereby reducing external dependency. This model increases self-sufficiency at the local level, helping individuals and communities transform the economy, reduce consumption, and address the ecological crisis.

This three-part exhibition begins by examining the culture of consumption and its resulting problems in the first section. The second section explores the importance of the regenerative economy and other alternative approaches. Here, the artists investigate sustainable production and consumption models, inviting viewers to reflect on how these models can offer solutions to the ecological crisis. In the third section, the exhibition delves into the destruction caused by consumption, exploring the relationship between humans and nature, as well as the resilience and adaptability of individuals and communities in the face of the ecological crisis.

The "What Is to Be Done?" exhibition provides viewers with an in-depth perspective on the causes and consequences of the ecological crisis while questioning what actions can be taken on individual and societal levels to counter it. While encouraging viewers to consider the possibility of a sustainable future and the changes necessary to achieve it, the exhibition also creates space for contemplating how humanity can preserve its physical existence if these changes are not made.

Artists & Works

Alper Aydın

Corpus Membrantim, 2019

Wood washed up on shore with metal construction 

150x200x225 cm

Courtesy of the artist

Suat Öğüt

Tüketim Pratikleri, 2009

Single channel video, 8’29’’

Bekir Dindar

İsimsiz / Kanalist Serisinden, 2021

Fineart print

Courtesy of the artist

Martinka Bobrikova – Oscar De Carmen

Tblisi, 2010

Video 3’21’’

Courtesy of the artist

Valentina Karga

30 days in the garden / 15 days on Mars, 2012

Video performance, 12’56’’

Courtesy of the artist

Ozan Atalan

Thymus, 2022

Video performance, TRT 8’

Mixed media on hemp paper (ink, aquarelle, coal, medical solution pigments)

Courtesy of the artist

Mary Maggic

Faster, Higher, Stronger, 2022

Interactive Instalation

Stationary bike, water cans, kombucha, water, led screen

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