Bilge Friedlaender Retrospective at Arter Istanbul Explores Poetic Materiality

Arter in Istanbul presents "Words Number Lines / Sözcükler Sayılar Çızgiler," a retrospective of Turkish artist Bilge Civelekoğlu Friedlaender (1934–2000), curated by Mira Friedlaender and Işın Önol. Running until January 15, 2017, the exhibition spans works from 1975 to 1983, showcasing Friedlaender's mastery of decollage, collage, printmaking, and engraving. Her practice pushes paper beyond the page, transforming writing into a visual and phonetic system. A highlight is the 1977 artist book "Words Number Lines," which serves as a guide through the show. The exhibition also features the installation "River / House / Book" (1981) and its notes from 1982, along with "Homage to Sinan" (1983), a book honoring Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan. Friedlaender's work treats the book as sculpture, drawing, poetry, and narrative, embodying a total object-poem. The retrospective reveals her analytical research, suprematist influences, and exploration of language as material.