Gülsün Karamustafa Represents Türkiye at Venice Biennale with Glass Shard Installation
Gülsün Karamustafa, a leading figure in Turkish contemporary art, represents Türkiye at the 60th Venice Biennale with an installation incorporating Murano glass shards, chandeliers wrapped in barbed wire, and a silent film. The work explores the duality of beauty and danger, inspired by her visit to Murano where she cut her finger on discarded glass. The installation references the pavilion's history as an artillery storage site, with rails pointing toward the water. Three chandeliers allude to monotheistic religions, while the 13-minute silent film, sourced from Critical Past, features collaged footage of protests and wars without narration. Karamustafa's approach emphasizes mobility and viewer engagement, echoing her earlier work Mystic Transport (1992). The Biennale runs until 24 November 2024.
Key facts
- Gülsün Karamustafa represents Türkiye at the 60th Venice Biennale.
- The installation uses Murano glass shards, inspired by a cut finger during a visit to Murano.
- Three chandeliers made of shards and wrapped in barbed wire allude to monotheistic religions.
- The pavilion is a 45-metre-long rectangular gallery, formerly an artillery storage site.
- A 13-minute silent film from Critical Past shows collaged footage of protests and wars.
- The work references Karamustafa's 1992 installation Mystic Transport.
- The Biennale runs until 24 November 2024.
- Karamustafa co-directed the feature film Benim Sinemalarım (My Cinemas) with Füruzan in 1990.
Entities
Artists
- Gülsün Karamustafa
- Füruzan
- Adriano Pedrosa
Institutions
- Canvas
- Arter
- Venice Biennale
- Critical Past
- Istanbul Biennial
- ArtReview
- La Biennale
Locations
- Venice
- Murano
- Istanbul
- Sultanahmet Square
- Constantinople
- Türkiye
- Italy
- China
- Torcello
- Bosphorus
- Berlin
- Byzantine Empire
- Ottoman Empire