The exhibition, featuring a selection of works that portray participation, solidarity, and learning together in the form of art, will be open to the public until December 14th.
American artist and educator Suzanne Lacy's first solo exhibition in Türkiye, "Birlikte/Togæther," will open tomorrow at the Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum.
Museum director Ahu Antmen, attending a press conference at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum, stated that the artist uses a form of public art in her works, saying, "With Lacy's approach, public art comes to life as a living tableau of people on streets, beaches, shopping malls, and sometimes in parking lots, as seen in the installations in the exhibition."
As part of the exhibition, Antmen explained that they will organize various performances, talks, and educational programs for participants of all ages on the social issues focused on women that Lacy raises in her performances.
Antmen stated that the material Lacy uses in her works is human, and that while she brings people together in her work, she also fosters conversations about the questions she is curious about.
– "Art should constantly open us to thought."
Artist Suzanne Lacy thanked the Sakıp Sabancı Museum for their efforts in the exhibition, saying, "I have great respect for Türkiye. I know many people from Türkiye. I have great respect for the culture, intelligence, and especially the strength of the women here."
Lacy explained that her artistic practice is question-oriented, saying, "I come from an academic discipline of biology, psychology, and sociology. All of these disciplines have influenced my work. Questions like 'What does it mean to be a human being?', 'What does it mean to be a biological being?', 'What does it mean to be a social being?', 'What does it mean to be a citizen?' are fundamental to my practice."
Lacy emphasized that her works do not present a single idea to society, stating:
"Over the years, working with diverse communities, I've realized that art lives not only in images, but also in the relationships established in public spaces and the outcomes these relationships ignite. I begin every project with questions. I'm curious about how people understand their own circumstances and truly value what they choose to share. The exhibition at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum brings these experiences, shaped in different contexts, to Istanbul. Here, I share some of my past projects, hoping the audience will connect them meaningfully to their own lives. Art should constantly open us to reflection. Therefore, I'm excited that my works will meet a diverse audience at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum."
Furkan Aydıncı, Corporate Communications and Brand Manager of the Sabancı Foundation, also spoke at the program.
– About the exhibition
Suzanne Lacy's first exhibition in Türkiye, "Bir Birlikte," presents viewers with a selection that explores participation, solidarity, and learning together in the form of art.
In her performances, which bring together numerous volunteers from various segments of society, particularly women and youth, from various countries around the world, creating live tableaux with the audience, the artist addresses issues such as identity, freedom, various forms of violence, economic hardship, and aging. With this exhibition, she invites the audience to consider questions at the intersection of art and life, art and politics, aesthetics, and ethics.
Bringing together works from different periods of Lacy's career, the exhibition focuses on the personal and social experiences of aging and aging women in "Whisper," "Waves," "Wind," and "Crystal Veil," while "Between the Door and the Street" explores the conversations of women from different generations around issues such as education, employment, family, and migration.
"With Your Own Hand" addresses the phenomenon of violence against women, which occurs globally, through the men who gather in a bullring in Ecuador to read letters from over ten thousand women about violence.
Throughout the exhibition, Lacy's artistic practice will be explored from various perspectives. The first event will be the artist talk on Saturday, September 13th at 14:00.
Suzanne Lacy will also meet with Sakıp Sabancı Museum Director Ahu Antmen to discuss her volunteer-based participatory art practice.
A comprehensive catalogue, bringing together documents and visual archives from various periods, as well as texts exploring the artist's practice, will be published alongside the exhibition.
Meanwhile, multi-layered events will be organized in collaboration with Sabancı University's Center of Excellence for Gender and Women's Studies, SU Gender, and the Sabancı Foundation.
The exhibition "Suzanne Lacy: Together/Togæther" will be open to the public in Sakıp Sabancı Museum Gallery -2 until December 14th.
Source: https://www.haber1.com/guncel/abdli-sanatci-suzanne-lacynin-birlikte-sergisi-istanbulda-sanatseverlerle-bulusacak/