T R AV E R S E

Community Arts Cultural Development Project

SILE, TURKEY

The sea always reminds me of my childhood, it is the best way of cleansing the soul, it will always be with me through my life, present and the future.
Deniz BayauSile, Turkey local resident (Oct., 2012)

CONTENTS A. BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND B. C. KEY SITE INSPIRATION 1 2 3-5 6-7 8

8-13 14-25 26-28 29-31 32-33 34-35

D. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT E. THE SEA IS PRESENT

1. Project 1 a. Narratives b. People and Places Project 2 - Kara Deniz Project 3 - Traverse Project 4 - Salvagenti 1 & 2 Project 5 - The Sea is Present Postcard Exhibition

2. 3. 4. 5.

A. BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The name of Sile was derived from genus of labiatae which is a seasonal phanerogam known as marjoram colloquially. Within the scope of Siles historical background that goes back to B.C. 7th Century; Phrygian, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman Empires were involved. This district had been called as Bitinye due to settled indigenous race was known as Bitinler(Thrace-origin community). Turks had been settled on that region during Ottomans. During 1350 Orhan Bey period, they settled on to outskirts of Sile and in 1450Yildirim Beyazit period, to central of the county. Names given to quarters in central of Sile are names of Yildirim Beyazits raiders. Sile had been governed by Ottoman Empire for 500 years and although was left to British by 1918-Treaty of Mondros, again was left to Turks after War of Independence on date of October 7, 1922. With the proclamation of the republic, Sile had become a municipality and took its place in history as a touristic town with its natural and cultural properties and closeness to Istanbul.

population the area the number of villages the length of the coast

32447 790 km2 57 60 km

B. KEY SITE

M/S MALTEPE 62

The key site and production studio is located on the M/S Maltepe, a decommissioned Bosphorus ferry, anchored at the breakwater, sheltering Siles fishing fleet.

C. INSPIRATION
I was inspired by the fleet of fishing boats, objects and materials found around the area and the daily lives and movement of the local people of the seaside town of Sile.

D. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The research centres on relational transitivity, using various mediums, concepts and images to create new meanings and representations through conversation, interaction and collaboration. The work is an exploration of process and narrative that involves participation and dialogue with diverse groups of people that relates to experiences attached to identity, memory and site.

E. THE SEA IS PRESENT

A series of works that reflect the transitional nature of the sea. The sea as a site of cultural roots, historical memories and routes; a metaphor for time, distance and change.

Project 1 - Narratives
100 postcards, with an image of the Tasman Sea were handed out to the locals to create interaction and participation resulting in conversations. The postcards generated stories and narratives that related to memories of the sea. These postcards will be collated to form a book for Stage C.

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Project 1 - People and Places

These postcards were installed in fishing boats at the pier located in Levent Birben Caddesi. Other locations included abandoned buildings, local establishments like restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops in Uskudar Caddesi, which is the main street of Sile.

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Project 2 - Kara Deniz

The stories from the postcards were transcribed in Turkish onto the old anchor of the M/S Maltepe ship. The right side of the anchor tells the story of a sisters mourning of her brothers drowning in the black sea while the left tells a story of love, passion, freedom and life, the written words in the middle tells a tale about the power and mystery of the sea. The red wool yarn represents the life that flows through the veins of the people who live and work around Siles coastal township.

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Project 3 - Traverse
This work explores the theme of water in relation to memory, site and identity. The stories on the postcards written by the local people were transcribed in Turkish onto the mirror in the old Captains cabin of the M/S Maltepe ship. The moving image of the Tasman sea in the video represents the past, present and future crossings and connections. The collected objects consolidate different meanings between two places, it represents experiences related to global migration, cultural displacement and the co-existence of cultural identities in a place. The installation creates similarities from the past and constructs a memory of a place in the present.

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Project 4 - Salvagenti 1
A Collaboration with artist Giordano Biondi. The sculptural installation was composed of red lifesavers and lifejackets from the ship M/S Maltape and installed on the rear and first front deck . The columns of lifesavers became its foundation, support and soul.

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Project 4 - Salvagenti 2
A Collaboration with artist Giordano Biondi. The sculptural installation was composed of lifejackets from the ship M/S Maltape and installed in the Wedding room.

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Project 5 - The Sea is Present Postcard Exhibition

100 postcards were exhibited as part of the YansimalarReflections of Sile exhibition on the M/S Maltepe ship, October 12, 2012. The local council and the community attended the event. The postcard project has created exchange and participation that resulted in conversations , interaction and collaboration between the artist and the community.

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