Programme Organization: Didem Erbas

November-December 2024 Programme Conceptual Framework

How do non-human beings live in the post-human context? What are the relationships
among non-human beings and inanimate objects?
While pursuing this line of research, the following questions came up: “How do humans see?
Are the perspectives we see and look through the same? What kinds of perspectives do we
have? What is the difference between human and animal vision? Do inanimate objects have
perspectives? Who owns the vision/gaze of unmanned aerial vehicles or machines? What is
scale? How does a scale shrink or grow? What is an unnatural image? What will the image
of the future look like? Could we make predictions based on green lights, neon lights,
thermal camera images, computer game images, drone images, images from a machine or

through an animal’s perspective? What will the post-human landscape look like? Is a world
without humans possible?
The goal of this research is to discuss the main issues of optics and perspective, starting
from the concept of posthuman. Is it possible to reconsider the issue of perspective and the
gaze by expanding the limits of the observable scale with the perspective of the animate and
inanimate? The examination of the landscape and material observed with new techniques
reveals the relationships between war and art. Could it be determined by questioning the
purposes of use of observation techniques and materials and how the art material gains or
loses value? This project, which sets out from these questions, aims to be an adventure of a
research process on posthuman, perspective, non-human and inanimate beings.

Exhibition Concept

I encountered 5533 through in 2013 through Merve Ünsal’s invitation. I then met Nancy
Atakan and Volkan Aslan, as I followed all the events that took place at 5533. When I came
to Istanbul after an extended residency stay, I went to Nancy with the idea to organize
events at 5533. I will have the opportunity to spend time at 5533 11 years after that first
encounter.
In 2017, again upon Merve’s invitation, I participated in the project called You&I, which
Merve and Nancy co-facilitated. This program, which I designed based on the idea of You&I,
will end with the idea and production process of You&I&It. You&I is “A spatial experiment
made with existing and potentially existing works, which could only take place in 5533.” In
addition, I wanted to add an “It” where we can make room for the non-humans. You&I&It will
open on Saturday, December 21st at 5533 with the works of the artists I collaborate with.
This program will be open to presentations, performances, and workshops, inspired by the
idea of my research project “Artificial Landscapes and the Politics of the Material in the
Context of the Posthuman Gaze”. The program will start in November with online
presentations, and then continue with presentations and workshop events at 5533.
Special thanks to Merve Ünsal for the translation of the text.

5533 November – December Event Program

Derya Ülker & Didem Erbaş: “Reflections on the Posthuman Gaze”
November 9, Saturday, Talk & Presentation at 16:00 @5533
Orkan Telhan: “Critique of Human-Centered Thinking”
11:00 (EST time) / 19:00 UTC+03 (Istanbul time) (The event will be in Turkish.)
Nihan Işık & Melih Kaymaz: “Collaboration with the Artist in the Practice of Video Art”
November 16, Saturday at 14:00 Talk @5533 (The event will be in Turkish.)
Ye Ying: “Cooking Together: Food as Art and a Catalyst for Community Building”
Moderator: Irmak Keskin
November 19, Tuesday, Online 12:00 (EST time) / 20:00 UTC+03 (Istanbul time)
(The event will be in English.)
Fatih Dikmen & Gonca Yeşilyurt: “Exhibition of Biodiversity: Zoology Museum”
November 22, Friday at 18:00 @5533 (The event will be in Turkish.)
Erfan Ghiasi: “What happens if we hold our gaze on reality?”
November 26, 2024, Online Presentation (The event will be in English.)
Özlem Şimşek: “Living Sculptures” Performance, November 29, Friday at 18:00 @5533
Irmak Keskin: “Non-Human Humans in Art History: Monsters, Freaks, Dwarfs, and Others”
November 30, Saturday, 16:00 @5533 (The event will be in Turkish.)
Burçak Gezeroğlu: “Video Gameplay as Posthuman Sites”
December 10, Tuesday 12:00 (CST) / 20:00 UTC+03 (Istanbul time)
(The event will be in Turkish.)

December 21: Exhibition Opening “You&I&It” @5533
Artists: Merve Çanakçı, Didem Erbaş, Esra Oskay, Kadir Kayserilioğlu, Ali Kanal, Sarya
Nurcan Kaya, Gürkan Kurtbay, Mehveş Lelic, Eren Sulamacı, Meltem Şahin, Elif Tutka,
Gizem Ünlü, Merve Ünsal

December 27: Closing Event: Merve Ünsal & Didem Erbaş, “Upside Down and Inside Out:
The Emotional Economy of the Gaze” Talk 16:00 @5533