© 2012 | amberTXT / BIS ISBN 978-605-88807-7-1

The second project in Holland to undertake
contemporary art from Turkey
took a different route: Inclining to reproduce
similarities instead of differences,
the cultural exchange program
and exhibition “Between the Waterfronts”
was realized in 2002 with the
theme “sea that binds cities and people.”
The exhibition, which brought
together 19 artists from two harbor
cities Rotterdam and Istanbul, was the
most extensive event on contemporary
art from Turkey to take place in Holland
and aimed at exhibiting a sample
of the most competent contemporary
works from Istanbul. [6]
Now, once again ten years later, contemporary
art from Turkey revisits Holland
through celebrations for the 400th
year of diplomatic relations between
Turkey and Holland. Glancing at the
exhibitions, festivals and various art
events realized since the ‘90s, their
common ground appears to be implementing
different strategies to accomplish
tendencies and approaches
reproducing the contemporary image
of Turkey, reflecting its current reality,
clashing existing stereotypical images
of and prejudices against Turkey with
the current reality, building dialogue
and understanding between the two
communities and cultures through art.
The exhibition “Commons Tense” also
chose to take a new perspective to this
subject. New media, technology and
communication mediums, the essential
components of the global reality
mentioned above, determine the daily
lives of people as well as social and
cultural constructs of communities,
and with this power, converge and
crossbreed different geopolitical fields,
geographies and cultures as never
before. Information, produced and
spread around the world by communication
networks constitute a common
ground to contemplate and produce on
relation, interaction and crossbreeding
between cultures. Thus, instead of the
paradigm of national representation
of Turkey in the West with its contemporary
art production, which has been
long problematized within the dualisms
of east-west, center-periphery,
advanced-behind, a new perspective
emphasizing common knowledge and
communications is welcomed.
[6]
Erdemci, Fulya, “Between the Waterfront” catalogue text, pg. 12–15
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