Collectives From The City of Public Employees: Ankara/Anakara/Angora vol.1
Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, has been dealing with cultural (im)migration to Istanbul or other centers of the world, especially to Europe despite the harsch immigration policies and visa procedures of EU. This city is full of talented artists, writers, art historians, thinkers, musicians, act-resses/ors but unfortunately because of being at the periphery, it is not using its whole capacity.
During the 90s and the beginning of 00s, Ankara had a lot of potential in terms of art&culture. Unfortunately especially after AKP, the conservative party that is governing the country now, lots have been changing towards the bad; wrong decisions of urban development and restrictions have been directing the play of love and hate relationship with the city.
Minibar culture, Ankara punks hanging on the streets; just passing by and seeing lots of beloved ones remind the years of my teenagehood in Ankara! When there is not much to do in a city, people are tend to find they’re own ways and may focus on their interests easily. In this city of full of fun with boredom, everyone becomes friends with everyone; everyone has fun with everyone; everyone would love/hate/make love with everyone; everyone gets drunk with everyone; everyone eats ‘muhallebi’ with everyone on calm Sundays. These days there are new things going on in the art scene of Ankara: everyone is collaborating with everyone. When new collectives are on the scene, in this new series of posts, I would like to introduce Torun, ğ, Avareler and KABA HAT.
Torun aims to provide a space in the small art scene of Ankara, share, exhibit, talk and discuss about art without the concerns of the market rules. It creates an aura for new encounters in a small neighborhood. The neverending enthusiasm of Torun is open to new collaborations and invites ideas.
Since the opening in April 2012, Torun hosted eight exhibitions, two talks and a music event. These days, Ali Taptık’s Ouroboros with artist’s reviewed and recontexualized images of his previous series such as Negotiations, Trans-kript, Depression Gülter and Sehnsucht, On Clothing and Grooming: Looking at Osmanbey is putting a spell on visitors. Bora Başkan+m-est will change the space all over again on the 19th of February.
