Cevdet Erek discusses improvisational sound installation ÇIN for Turkey's 2017 Venice Biennale pavilion

Cevdet Erek is preparing to represent Turkey at the 2017 Venice Biennale with an installation titled ÇIN, located in the Arsenale. The work, described as a sound signal rather than a conventional title, incorporates both planned and unplanned elements, remaining open to improvisation even after the opening. Erek notes that creating work for a national pavilion differs institutionally from participating in other biennials as an individual artist, though he acknowledges similar site-specific considerations. He views the Venice Biennale's special status as stemming from the diverse approaches artists take to address the problematic concept of state representation. For Erek, representing a country through art's unlimited means is more compelling than focusing on the artist as a national representative, particularly during times of conflict and oppression in Turkey. He references his past work Ruler Coup, which examined coup d'états in Turkey's history. The artist aims his work at all curious visitors, not prioritizing any specific audience segment. During a previous Venice Biennale visit, Erek's experience observing movement in the Turkish pavilion while Sarkis' work was displayed influenced his current project. He looks forward to seeing neighboring pavilions and the overall exhibition curated by Christine Macel, while anticipating the physical realization of ÇIN, which has so far existed only in virtual form. The 2017 Venice Biennale runs from May 13 to November 26.