Hafıza Mekanları

Exhibition catalogue of the Turkish Pavilion at the 14th International Architecture exhibition at Venice. The Turkish Pavilion was curated by architect Murat Tabanlioglu. The main idea behind “Places of Memory” is directly related to the concept designated by Koolhaas. Countries represented in the exhibition were asked to employ the theme “Absorbing Modernity: 1914-2014” and to show the process of the “erasure of national characteristics in favor of the almost universal adoption of a single modern language in a single repertoire of typologies.” The idea is to show how the various architectural styles in the beginning of the 20th century eventually merged into a single style in most of the contemporary world. In “Places of Memory,” Derinbogaz looks at the three locations chosen by Tabanlioglu from above, while Taptik goes indoors and offers photos that explore how architecture relates to the proportions of the human body. Taycan mainly focuses on the squares in the city and explores how the idea of public space is experienced by Istanbulites, while Özcan looks at decorative practices in and aesthetic qualities of semi-public locations. Sisman will create a sound installation based on the other artists' work. “Our focus in the exhibition is … 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,” Tabanlioglu said. “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 potential.”