The opening of the "Heritage" Exhibition, which reshapes the city's cultural memory with contemporary art in collaboration with Brieflyart Gallery and Hışvahan and with the support of the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, was held.
The Heritage Exhibition, which questions how the memory of the past and societies is reshaped with contemporary art, met with art lovers in Hışvahan, which has made a name for itself in Gaziantep's cultural memory with its centuries-old history. The Heritage Exhibition, which will continue until February 28, 2025, offers its visitors the opportunity to discuss the concept of heritage as a continuous process of reproduction and transformation, rather than treating it as a fixed time period or a historical narrative.
17 artists take part in the exhibition with 39 works
The exhibition, which includes 39 works by 17 leading artists of the Turkish contemporary art scene, approaches the past as a process that needs to be reconstructed within the historical Hışvahan. The exhibition, which creates a new world of meaning with the intersection of the architectural texture of Hışvahan and the cultural identity carried by the space and the values of the past with contemporary art, creates a new world of meaning.
“We have a wide potential in cultural terms”
Speaking at the opening program of the exhibition, Gaziantep Governor Kemal Çeber stated that Gaziantep is a special city in cultural terms and said, “This is a city that dates back to 6000-7000 BC. It is a city where human feet have never left these lands we have stepped on since those dates. We are experiencing a culture that has been reflected to us today as Antep ware, yemeni, 106 geographically indicated products, ethnographic clothes and Gaziantep Cuisine by civilizations one on top of the other. Culture is a special concept, while civilization is a universal concept that concerns all of humanity. We have a wide potential that will include cultures from all sectors in cultural terms. The existence of such activities and the fact that they will continue from now on are very important to me. I also want it to continue, I see very clearly that this city has these in its past. We will try to do our best together for this to develop continuously,” he said.
The founder of the host Hışvahan, Chef Mine Özmen, thanked those who contributed in her speech at the opening and said, “I am happy and honored that this historical and beautiful place has now been integrated with art and that I am hosting you here with our artists.”
Brieflyart Gallery Owner Baran Arslan Curoğlu touched on the artists’ efforts and said, “I would like to express my endless gratitude to those who collaborated with us in this magical place, in bringing this magical place together with art. Our exhibition titled Heritage presents us with a dynamic process that changes and develops, beyond heritage being just a process that should be remembered and a historical narrative.”
İpek Özmen Develi, who brought Hışvahan together with art, also made a speech at the opening and said, “It is a great honor for us to exhibit such valuable works in this historical place shaped by the cultural heritage of Gaziantep.”
Meriç Hızal, who spoke on behalf of the artists, touched upon the place of culture in human life and civilization and said, “This city is magnificent and enviable with all that it has accumulated since Ancient Rome, with all that is found, unfound, and known. This is a place that gives an incredible feeling from the basalt stones on the ground to the limestones above. It has many values with its cuisine, architecture, and texture. We have met and touched all of these before. We came again and felt this place again with our modest small works. We wanted to leave a mark here, even if it was for a short time.”
The opening of the exhibition was held after the speeches. After the opening, the protocol and visitors examined the works together with the artists’ information. The artists who took part in the Brieflyart Gallery “Heritage” Exhibition were Devrim Erbil, Hakan Esmer, Yalçın Gökçebağ, Mahir Güven, Bedri Baykam, Yusuf Taktak, Şenol Yorozlu, Süleyman Saim Tekcan, Meriç Hızal, Resul Aytemur, Bubi, Onay Akbaş, Nezih Çavuşoğlu, Ekrem Kahraman, Tomur Atagök, Ahmet Yeşil and Ali Atmaca.
Source: https://www.gazeterize.com/sehrin-kulturel-hafizasi-ve-tarihini-cagdas-sanatla-birlestiren-miras-sergisi-acildi