A new exhibition that spotlights Yeşilçam, or classical Turkish cinema, has opened at Atölye Cer in Istanbul. The exhibition “Öteki Yeşilçam” (“The Other Yeşilçam”) will remain open until Feb. 15.
The exhibition series is being held in cooperation with the Art for Goodness Association – which continues its activities with the aim of spreading the universal value of art to wider masses – and Ege Yapı, the leading brand of the real estate sector. The venue of Atölye Cer provides artists from Turkey's contemporary art scene a place where they can sustain their artistic productions.
The latest exhibition at Atölye Cer presents works produced by Kerem Topuz and Cengiz Üstün. The duo has been producing artworks for two years at Atölye Cer and contributed pieces revolving around the theme of cinema for “The Other Yeşilçam.” Curated by Feride Çelik, the exhibition displays Topuz and Üstün’s reinterpretations of Yeşilçam's unknown "other" world with their own lines.
Yeşilçam (Green Pine) is a metonym for classical Turkish films like Hollywood in the United States. The period from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, when the history of Yeşilçam cinema lived its golden years in terms of annual production, hosts many examples of genre cinema.
When this period that inspired the exhibition is examined closely, one can see sporadic horror experiments, parodies that can be evaluated under the umbrella of science fiction, comic book adaptations, avant-gardes inspired by fairy tales, serials, myths and many other sources containing fantastic elements.
In their 20 works, Topuz and Üstün revive Yeşilçam fantasies by refocusing on cult Turkish films, missing films whose posters have survived to date, lesser-known films that only a handful of people are interested in as well as popular films that were shown on television almost every day for a period.
Do not forget to visit the exhibition to see many unforgettable (or long forgotten) Turkish movie heroes, from Demir Yumruk (Iron Fist), who doesn't have a lot of superpowers other than his mask and outfit, to Tarkan, a Hunnic warrior who annoyed the Vikings.
