MODERNITIES AND MEMORIES / RECENT WORKS FROM THE ISLAMIC WORLD

6-30 October 1998 Dolmabahçe Cultural Center, Beþiktaþ- Istanbul

Artists Anusapati (Indonesia), Zahoor Akhlaq (Pakistan), Silvat Aziz (Pakistan), Farid Belkahia (Morocco), Inci Eviner (Turkey), Serhat Kiraz (Turkey) Abdoulaye Konate (Mali), Rashid Kuraichi (Algeria), Hassan Musa (Sudan), Hendrawan Riyanto (Indonesia), Setiawan Sabana (Indonesia), Adel el Siwi (Egypt), Zulfikli Yusoff (Malaysia) Curatorial Group Brahim Alaoui (Paris) / Pia Alisjahbana (Jakarta)/ Suhail Bisharat (Cairo) / Clifford Chanin (New York) / Salima Hashimi (Lahore) / Salah M. Hassan (Ithaca-NY) / Hasan-Uddin Han (Lexington, MA) / Beral Madra (Istanbul) / Toety Heraty Noerhadi (Jakarta) / A.D.Pirous (Bandung) Supporting Institutions The Rockefeller Foundation (New York) / Bilgi University (Istanbul)

Concept and Aims of the Exhibition The exhibition project "Modernities and Memories" was conceived in a series of meetings since 1995 initiated and supported by The Rockefeller Foundation with the aim of realizing a joint cross-cultural communication between the Islamic countries to express cultural pluralism through contemporary art works. The curatorial group meetings were held in Paris (1995), Istanbul (1996), Jakarta (1996), New York (1996) and Venice (1997). The exhibition was prepared through a defined process of inquiry focusing on contemporary aesthetics, experience and criteria of art as well as on the philosophy and artistic vocabulary of the artist as regards to her/his cultural background. The first venue of the exhibition was 47Th Venice Biennale 1997 in ZENOBIO INSTITUTE, Academia. The artists in this exhibition have been selected for their ideas and concepts which reflect the socio-political-cultural enviroments and developments in their countries, for their competent exploitation of tradition and modernism which opens new perspectives and modes of perception and for their skill and knowledge in applying the universal art language into their native background. The exhibition neither promotes individual artists nor represents national or regional identity or an artistic movement. However, it represents a common pattern in handling the conditions of modernity and post-modernity, it reveals cultural differences between the Muslim societies, it displays the processes of re-practicing traditional distinctions, it suggests to move on undiscovered paths and to acquire new ways of perception. The preparation process as well as the structure of this exhibition aims to be a model for prospective projects that will be conceived and realised in Non-western countries. First of all, during the preliminary meetings which provided a communication that has never happened before, the curators from 9 Ýslamic countries presented their knowledge and experience. They pursued a consensus based on research and comprehension and a colloboration based on recognition and appreciation. Furthermore they had the opportunity to re-explore the dilemmas, difficulties and practical problems within the art scenes of their countries as well as in the relations with the Western art centers. Through the discussions and exchange of ideas they have found their way to the selection of the artists and their works. The concept of the exhibition which comes into view as a most actual and quintessential topic in the intellectual and artistic milieu of Istanbul has lead the organisators to supplement the exhibition with appropriately designed panels. One of the panels will directly relate to the idea and essentiality of the exhibition. The other however will deal with fundemantal issues, such as "the other modernities" and "cross fertilization", and involve an interdiciplinary participation of reknown international and Turkish intellectuals. It is anticipated that the panels will enhance the impact of the visual aspect of the exhibition and elevate it to the level of contemplation and speculation. Within the context of the exhibition Bilgi University intends to display its knowledge and efficacy of articulating within the field of electronic communication and will organize "ARTAGORA", a virtual exhibition diffusing into the hidden proficiency and competence of the young generation within the new media.

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