7th International Mardin Biennial

“GÖKzemin” makes the relationships established by today's art between reality and imagination, material and spiritual, political and poetics visible in the context of Mardin.

Biennial, which establishes a line of thought and emotion between the sky and the earth, the individual and the collective, the past and the future; It invites the viewer to a journey between seemingly contradictory extremes. The 7th Mardin Biennial opens a silent passage between worlds that are thought to be far from each other, by bringing “sky” and “ground” that divide the horizon into two. The biennial, which invites the viewer to a layered journey that extends both upwards and inwards, is guided by birds that have a special place in the cultural memory of the region. The birds, which take behind them the stories and winds specific to their geography that permeate the stones of Mardin, glide between the sky and the earth, while the exhibitions in different parts of Mardin,he charts routes between site-specific placements and performances. 7 THEREOF. The conceptual compass of the Mardin Biennial points to two seemingly opposing literary works from the west and east of Turkey: Aristophanes' comedy Birds and Fariduddin Attar's masnavi known as the Assembly of Birds, Mantiku't-Tayr. Both texts present birds as symbols not only of nature, but of search, criticism, resistance and transformation. Aristophanes makes the tension between power and ideal visible in ironic language with his satirical narrative that people join forces with birds to build a utopian city in the clouds. Attar, on the other hand, invites birds to stand out from the self and turn to collective truth in a spiritual journey through seven valleys. One deals with the questioning of authority through humor, the other with the possibility of transformation through unity. Although these texts, which represent two different approaches attributed to East and West, seem different in form and theme, they intersect in the idea of “search”, “journey” and “transformation”. 7th Mardin Biennial, freedom by considering these two sources of inspiration togetherit aims to open an intellectual space about truth and how new worlds can be imagined. Mardin, one of the important crossroads of different civilizations and trade routes throughout history, bears traces of dozens of cultures spanning millennia in its architectural texture. The city's high position offers it not only a defensive advantage, but also a symbolic gaze horizon. Often referred to as an “open-air museum”, Mardin bears witness to the multi-layered heritage of Upper Mesopotamia, while retaining its complexity where a culture of togetherness and conflict is intertwined. The nature, architecture, historical accumulation and social fabric of Mardin determine the conceptual orientation of “GÖKzemin” as well as its sensory atmosphere. 7 THEREOF. Mardin Biennial explores ways to build new imaginations and develop different lifestyles and thinking practices in the face of today's complex sociopolitical and existential issues. It reminds us of the liberating, transformative and space-opening power of art through the universal metaphor of birds, and calls on us to bring individual and collective imagination into play without moving away from the ground of reality. Can we reimagine a common ground where freedom and happiness can germinate? Is there still a sky on our horizon that opens to good and truth? While searching for answers to these questions, the Mardin Biennial goes outside the old city for the first time in its history and invites the audience to a journey to explore different parts of the region. • Upper Mardin The traditional center of the biennial with its multi-religious and linguistic structure, ancient architecture and wide panorama. The feeling of the old city hanging between the sky and the earth turns into a metaphor accompanying the intellectual world of the biennial. • Kızıltepe The center of commerce and daily life throughout history. This vibrant environment, where urban mobility, social relations and political tensions are intertwined, gives the biennial a critical dynamism. • Dara Ancient City A historical echo site with its archaeological layers and spiritual atmosphere. It represents the Mesopotamian nature oscillating between the earth and the sky and forms the basis of the intellectual and sensory discoveries of the biennial. The biennial route, which draws a triangle where time-tested stone architecture intersects with wide horizons and contemporary city life, creates a narrative unity with encounters that bring together the traces of the past and the reality of the present, the mystical and the everyday, silence and movement. The garland opens up space for artists from Mardin and its surroundings, inviting artists from different geographies, bringing together paintings, sculptures, videos, photographs, performances, sounds and place-specific installations, some of which were specially produced for the 7th Mardin Biennial. Some artists reinterpret Aristophanes' critique of power, envisioning new forms of togetherness and alternative worlds. Others trace the inner journey through Attar's valleys, exploring themes of transformation, discovery, and collective awareness.The strong place of birds in Mardin culture combines these two orientations under common metaphors. In Mardin “the sky”, while woven with imagination and utopias; “ground” carries the weight of complex realities. Moving between the trans-temporal horizon of Upper Mardin, the ancient layers of Dara and the current life of Kızıltepe, the biennial weaves the ties between the material and the imaginary, the mythical and the everyday in an artistic language. The 7th Mardin Biennial is a journey through the seven valleys of Attar with artists and audiences to the “birdland” of Aristophanes; or a collective essay that imagination can touch the ground of truth again.

What to expect:
Performance / Live Art, Painting, Installation, Architecture, Sculpture, Multi-disciplinary, Film / Video