EXPOSURE – MARUZ

EXPOSURE

The ways of disposing trash and feces of humanity, and making them invisible has defined the form of existence of civilization. However, this effort to dispose and to make invisible becomes harder and harder as humanity has developed, people have been urbanized and needed much more spaces to live. The things made invisible have not been lost; on the contrary, “people of the modern world” are exposed to live together with their trashes and feces. While “feces” from the undesired was just something people lived together in the Middle Ages of Europe (sewages running in the middle of streets, stools being poured down the windows, source of inspiration of the high heels etc.), Modernity did its best to make this “remnant” invisible. Toilets and sewer pipes are all designed for pushing the feces away from us, but actually towards the “absence”.

Beginning from the skirts of Kayışdağı and flowing into the Sea of Marmara at the north of Kalamış Bay, the Kurbağalıdere unites with more than ten streams. Having 67 kilometers length, Kurbağalıdere was a region surrounded with large areas which mostly sultan’s sons’ and pashas’ mansions stood in. In the forthcoming years, stables were built in the Kızıltoprak shore of the Kurbağalıdere so that mansions in the internal parts of Kadıköy achieved access to the coast. 1900’s were the periods when the Kurbağalıdere was busy with entertaining activities. Especially, Kuşdili Meadow was a famous picnic and recreation area of the day. However, the problem of the stream’s causing health risk that began in 1900’s accelerated with the establishment of Tuesday Bazaar in 1970’s as well as population growth in the city and housing.

Any dump is the memory of the society. Anything thrown or “falls” into the Kurbağalıdere is getting “worse and worse”, so does anything undesired. Although the things the stream has saved so far were exiled to the sea together with its “abjection”, they could not go away and kept the feeling of contagiousness, kept challenging and threatening.

The word “exposure” (maruz) from the Arabic origin which is the title of the work means to be affected by or come across an event or situation, to display and to disclose. Being exposed, being under the influence or pressure, is to come up against a situation against your will. Within this context, main form of the work consists of tulle curtain that belongs to home, to cleanness and privacy of the house, and helps to protect these from the outside while cutting the contact with the outside. This tulle curtain whose skirts have lace motifs giving reference to nature is rolled down the bridge that stands by the obstruction consisting of domestic waste that it contacts, and thus it is “exposed to”. The thing that comes out of us threatens the curtain just like us with all its abjection in a disgusting way.

Ozgul ARSLAN
August, 2015, İstanbul