The “Coastal Memory” exhibition has opened at Decollage Art Space in Suadiye, Kadıköy, bringing together works produced during an artist-in-residence program in Şile and earlier works by the participating artists.
Opened to visitors following a press preview attended by the artists, the exhibition explores how the venue, the rhythm of the city and human relationships transform the experience of artistic production. The exhibition features works by Zahit Büyükişleyen, Özlem Üner, Serap Atala, Atilla Atala, Devabil Kara, Veysel Günay, Fevzi Karakoç, Yalçın Gökçebağ and Resul Aytemür.
The impact of creating together
Yalçın Gökçebağ said workshops offer artists opportunities for friendship, innovation and productive work. Gökçebağ said that working together rather than retreating into their studios reminded the artists of their student years.
Fevzi Karakoç said the artists who came together in Şile had different artistic orientations but nevertheless established productive communication around shared ideas. Karakoç said these gatherings gave the artists an opportunity to brainstorm and develop their production processes.
Devabil Kara emphasized that every artist has a distinctive language and way of conveying ideas. Kara said the artists sought to leave a mark on the venue and noted that the impact of creating together emerges especially in workshops.
Veysel Günay said workshops involve sharing not only a physical space but also a common atmosphere of production. Günay said the week he spent in Şile was positive in terms of exchanging ideas and holding discussions.
The concept of the coast and memory
Zahit Büyükişleyen explained that the exhibition was not based on the idea of directly painting Şile landscapes, but drew on the associations that the concept of the “coast” creates in the artists’ personal memories. Büyükişleyen said the idea of the coast intersects in his own work with a memory construct formed from recollections.
The seven-day artist-in-residence program on Şile’s Black Sea coast changed the environment surrounding the artists’ creative practices. In the program, the coast was considered not merely as a landscape to be depicted, but as a ground for developing new works.
The exhibition examines the relationship between space, perception and memory through the changing nature of the coastline. Rather than directly documenting Şile, the works reveal how the concept of “coastal memory” is interpreted through the artistic languages of different artists.
“Coastal Memory” can be visited daily from 10:00 to 18:00 at Decollage Art Space until November 15.
