Blockbuster Exhibition Awes Istanbul

By. Justin Mays

Tucked in the neighborhood of Dolapdere, Pilevneli Gallery just wrapped up Turkish digital media artist ReyfikAnadol’snew solo exhibition “Machine Memoirs: Space.” Dolapdere is adjacent to Beyoglu and is a transitioning neighborhood where you can find condos for sale in Istanbul next to the galleries and museums that have recently definedthe area as Istanbul’s newest contemporary arts district. Through special backing by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality,and the support of major brands like Samsung and BMW, the exhibition ran from March 19-April 25. Anadol told Sabah “that the presentation of such an exhibition for free of charge during this challenging period affected the visitors’ reaction in an incredibly positive way”.

Anyone casually passing through Dolapdere in the past month may have been surprised by the dailytwo-kilometer-long line waiting to get in to see the large installation works.  Using complex artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms,Anadol creates hybrid realities of physical and digital entities.  The “Machine Memoirs: Space”exhibition was created by using AI and earth images recorded by the International Space Station, Hubble and Magdalena Ridge Observatory Telescopes. Captivating Istanbul's art lovers, thousands of visitors arrived each day despite the COVID-19 pandemic. In Anadol's view, there will be an explosion of arts and a boom of artistic experiences in the post-pandemic period. And if the considerable sponsorship and sizable crowds cueing up to see the exhibition proved anything, Istanbul is a city with a keen interest and thirst for the arts that is growing every year.