Cevdet Erek

Artists

Cevdet Erek

Press release

Cevdet Erek creates works at the intersection of sound, sculpture, and architecture. In his audiovisual practice, he explores sound, space, spatial perception, as well as the concepts of time and history. The Istanbul-based artist draws from his extensive experience as an architect, lecturer, musician, and sound engineer to design site-specific spatial installations and sound environments. These invite the audience to actively engage with the space and reflect on the sensory impressions conveyed through the rhythmic interplay between sound and their own body. Erek often employs seriality as a means to underscore the subjectivity of lived experiences in various places, at different times, and in diverse cultural contexts. _Bergama Stereo_ (2019–24), an architectural installation with sound and a performance program, was first presented to the public in 2019 at the Ruhrtriennale in Bochum. In the late 19th century, the German Empire transported fragments of the Hellenistic Pergamon Altar from its original location in western modern-day Turkey to Berlin. As a response to the form of the altar, its ascribed historical function, and its contemporary reception, _Bergama Stereo_ was subsequently shown at the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin. The 34-channel composition with speakers interprets the sculptural frieze through acoustic activation, blending techno—a significant element in today's Berlin cultural scene—with traditional dance rhythms on the bass drum Davul, a characteristic instrument in the music of the region around Bergama, the altar's place of origin. Erek then began to deconstruct his abstract reproduction of the altar into fragments, highlighting the distribution of the original relics to numerous locations. The first version was presented in 2021 at the original site next to the most important ancient remains. Further iterations appeared in Istanbul and Singapore. The latest addition is _Bergama Stereo – Berlin Fragment_, currently on display as part of the collection presentation at the Hamburger Bahnhof. These various versions, spread across different countries, contribute to a critical discussion about cultural ownership and alternative forms of exhibition. _Room of Rhythms_ (2010–12) was first created for documenta 13 in Kassel and then became a series; further iterations were shown at MAXXI in Rome and at the Sydney and Istanbul Biennials. In 2017, Cevdet Erek presented _ÇIN_, an architectural sound intervention at the Turkish Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale.