FIRST IMPRESSIONS FROM THE 15th INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION AT LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA
The opening of Turkish Pavilion at 15th International Architecture Exhibition at la Biennale di Venezia has hold today with the participation of many press members, sponsors, project crew and architects including Selçuk Avcı, Sanja Jurca Avcı, where “Darzanà” has introduced to the world of architecture.
Selçuk Avcı and Sanja Jurca Avcı, who have been watching the biennale as the supporters of 3 countries (Turkey, Slovenia and Britain) expressed their first impressions as designated below:
Selçuk Avcı: “It’s great to be here as supporters of three flags. The Turkish. The Slovene, and The British. So far Turkish and Slovene down, tomorrow the Giardini for the British pavilion to go… The Turkish pavilion is overwhelmingly the best thing I have seen so far and I’m very proud. The Slovene pavilion had missed an opportunity to demonstrate the prowess of its best people. They can do much better than that.
But the Teget installation is truly beautiful and a must see. I think all the critical dialogue that has been going on can now stop and wonder what the fuss was all about.
My only criticism is that it is a very object (or 600 objects to be exact) orientated exhibition. It doesn’t meet the challenge of frontier exploring (as in today’s frontiers) and doesn’t give a voice to those who do well to push those frontiers. On the other hand it’s interpretation of frontier is historic and romantic.
But it is truly beautiful…
All of this at the Venice Biennale is a rich seam of information and resource for architects and engineers, but also for politicians, civil servants and industrialists and investors. It is an opportunity to have a dialogue across a global arena, which can bring all of us together under the one idea of ‘common sense’. This year’s Biennale has a grander agenda than ever before: How to act sustainably at a local level and how to more effectively improve the lives of humanity on a global scale, by acting locally, especially for the under privileged and the poorer societies.”
Sanja Jurca Avcı: “My response to Bienale so far: A very good overall turnout. Back (or forward?) to basics, to what makes up architecture, however, not in terms of elements (like Bienale 2014), but in terms of the philosophies behind it. Also, in terms of materiality – a lot of 1:1 models, models in general, structures, etc. A visual feast and food for thought. Turkey: excellent and standing out, both visually and in how simply and effectively it addresses the theme of cross-cultural connectedness.”
“Reporting from the Front” will be the main exhibition at the 15th International Architecture Exhibition at la Biennale di Venezia, with the contribution of 88 participants from 37 countries under the guidance of curator Alejandro Aravena.
Led by Mehmet Kütükçüoğlu, Ertuğ Uçar and Feride Çiçekçioğlu, the project entitled “Darzanà” will be representing Turkey. The project is about mixed racism and border transgressing emphasizing the mutual cultural and architectural heritage between dockyard cities Venice and Istanbul.
