Gülsün Karamustafa's new exhibition "A Sort of Invasion," exploring urban memory, opens May 5 at BüroSarıgedik and Merdiven Art Space.
Gülsün Karamustafa's latest solo exhibition "A Sort of Invasion" will run from May 5 through July 1, 2025, at both BüroSarıgedik and Merdiven Art Space. This compelling show examines how city identities, built over generations, become vulnerable when faced with shifting political landscapes.
Spanning two venues, the exhibition presents a rich exploration of urban power dynamics. Karamustafa brings together her recent collages, assemblages, found objects, installations, and video works to investigate how our existence within cities evolves across both personal and shared experiences.
The "key" serves as the exhibition's central metaphor, representing the continuities, breaks, and transformations within urban narratives. Drawing from Istanbul's rich history, Karamustafa examines the city's spirit and dynamics, highlighting collective memory shaped by waves of change, transfer of power, and migration. The exhibition also uncovers stories of diverse communities that once coexisted in Istanbul's recent past.
Keys appear throughout the exhibition not merely as functional objects, but as potent symbols that delineate the boundaries between belonging, connection, and possession. Through her art, Karamustafa reveals the intricate relationship between social memory and urban space, encouraging visitors to reflect on their own relationships with the cities they inhabit.
