by Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi

The 13th Istanbul Biennial running from the 14th of September 2013 until the 10th of November 2013 is curated by Fulya Erdemci, with the title ‘Mom, am I barbarian?’ The title quotes the Turkish poet Lale Müldür’s book, to discuss the notion of the public domain as a political forum and critique of the highest form of civilisations, which have produced a world of barbarity in its negative sense. The Venues are Antrepo no.3, Galata Greek Primary School, ARTER and SALT Beyoğlu.

Besides these venues, the Biennial has given space to a variety of international artists to express their vision in the city that connects Europe and Asia. Two exceptionally talented and acclaimed Italian artists have shone in Istanbul, for their outstanding creations: Angelo Bucarelli and Lithian Ricci.

Angelo Bucarelli is an eclectic and versatile artist who embraces sculpture, photography, conceptual art and cinema; he also experimented with several forms of communication, such as design, interior design and graphics, creating numerous publications, art catalogues and illustrated books. The Italian Institute of Culture in Istanbul invited Angelo Bucarelli, to enrich the dialogue between the different historical and cultural identities of Italy and Turkey, to create a site-specific installation of contemporary art during Istanbul’s  2013 Art Biennial.

Bucarelli, fascinated by historical and evocative values, chose to place his installation in the ruins of the oldest hammam of Istanbul, Küçük Mustafa Paşa, in Cibali, Fatih, on the southern shore of the Golden Horn. For his Istanbul installation ‘Water Like Tears Of Love’, Angelo explores the theme of water as the foundation of the identity of Constantinople-Byzantium-Istanbul, through the craftsmanship of Turkish local artisans and his visionary use of photography space and event planning. This latter feature has proved Bucarelli to be also a talented metteur en scène, since during the opening night of his installation (occurred on September 14th) he organised a neighbourhood feast that involved the inhabitants of the Cibali streets, who prepared local dishes for all the visitors of ‘Water Like Tears Of Love’ installation.

Lithian Ricci also is a multiform artist, she began as an architect and became a painter and sculptor. Her singular trait has a touch of Baroque, Pre-Raphealite and Surrealistic vibe. Lithian, was drawn by the enthralling charm of the Byzantine hub, so she decided to move to Istanbul to get inspiration for her new creations. This has given life to her exhibition ‘Percezioni Oniriche’ (Dreamlike Perceptions), set in the Mackma Modern Art Gallery from September 14th until October 12th.

Lithian conveys her dreams through a variety of materials, paint, sculptor, ceramics, wood, needlework, watercolour. Viewers immediately float away to a land of dream, where allegorical features and mythological animals evoke an ancient and archaic era, that can be perceived at the same time as a sci-fi epoch that is yet to come.

In a world, where we all feel like drowning, floating, drifting away with the flow, Angelo Bucarelli uses the element of water, common to all civilisations and times, just as Lithian Ricci calls upon dreams, to remind mankind of the beauties there are to life. Imagination, like water, seeps and springs, escapes and disappears. It gives growth and hope.

Related Images: