The exhibition “Converging Waters, Blossoming Hopes,” curated by Sinan Eren Erk and featuring 15 different artists from Turkey in collaboration with pioneering galleries, is now at Hope Alkazar. Organized by Diageo Turkey and offered free of charge until October 27, the exhibition brought together the world of culture and art with the contributions of Milliyet Sanat.
Evrim Altuğ | [email protected]
The special contemporary art exhibition organized by Diageo Turkey brought together an invited audience including journalists, artists, writers, gallerists, and actors. Curated by AICA Turkey Member Sinan Eren Erk, the exhibition opened on September 20 and will remain at Hope Alkazar on Istiklal Avenue until October 27.
The special presentation for art lovers was held on Friday evening, October 10. The exhibition showcases a diversity of production spanning painting, video installation, miniature, and digital art, uniting the works of 15 local and foreign artists.
The event brought together Milliyet Sanat Editor-in-Chief Filiz Aygündüz, Curator Sinan Eren Erk, and Diageo Turkey Corporate Brand Director Sanem Günay. Notable attendees included İKSV General Director Görgün Taner, İş Sanat General Manager Zuhal Üreten, writer Mine Söğüt, Milliyet Sanat Publication Coordinator Asu Maro, Music Editor Suzan Somali Sönmez, writer Seray Şahiner, critic and journalist Ayşegül Sönmez, actors Derya Alabora and Şenay Gürler, billiards champion Semih Saygıner, Galeri Baraz founder Yahşi Baraz, and journalist Emrah Kolukısa.
During the evening, where copies of Milliyet Sanat Magazine were shared with participants, Filiz Aygündüz stated:
“The ‘Converging Waters, Blossoming Hopes’ exhibition holds a special place. In these difficult times, this exhibition provides an opportunity for psychological resilience through art by multiplying our hope on the axis of nature and humans. Each work by artists of different generations contributes by telling its own story. I hope you return home with more hope after spending time here and establishing a relationship with these works. Another feature of this exhibition is Diageo Turkey’s contribution to art as a whole—supporting both experienced artists and those at the start of their careers. As Milliyet Sanat, which has maintained this contribution for 53 years, we support Diageo Turkey and hope this work serves as an example for all institutions.”
Sanem Günay, Corporate Brand Director of Diageo Turkey, responded to Aygündüz’s "zero issue" analogy (a term used for a perfect test print in publishing):
“We are actually very excited because this is our ‘Zero Exhibition.’ We have supported different partners in art before, such as İKSV and Arter. But this year, for the first time, we are doing something of our own. We came together with 15 artists and our curator, Sinan. We wanted to support their dreams. We believe that in the coming years, we will grow this work with even more artists.”
Curator Sinan Eren Erk shared the following with the participants:
“Being together at such an exhibition is wonderful for me. It perfectly matches the character of this project. Through ‘Converging Waters, Blossoming Hopes,’ we demonstrate how we unite as humans and how we keep this hope alive. You are currently inside a kind of Istanbul simulation. In the work you are watching, you experience the piece from above and below along the two shores, as if you were in the Bosphorus.
The most interesting part for these 15 artists was that they had always spent time in the same places, yet most did not know each other until this exhibition. Through this show, they began to meet. The flow of the waters changed in this direction, which is one of the things we missed most. In a sense, this is a survival strategy.”
With Zuhal Şeker as Project Consultant and Sinan Eren Erk as Art Consultant, the exhibition is presented with contributions from Galeri Nev Ankara, Galeri Nev İstanbul, Anna Laudel, x-ist, and Bozlu Art Project.
The participating artists are: Ahu Akgün, Aras Seddigh, Can Memişoğulları, Cem Sonel, Delal Eken, Dilara Başköylü, Dilara Göl, Ece Haskan, Gizem Ünlü, Merve Zeybek, Murat Palta, Nermin Er, Tuğçe Diri, Ertuğrul Güngör, and Faruk Ertekin.
