Cevdet Erek

Secession | Vienna, Austria

SAHA supports Secession between 29 November 2025 – 22 February 2026, as part of Cevdet Erek's new project, curated by Bettina Spörr.

“For this exhibition, Erek ‘ornamentates’ the façade of the Secession. Loudspeakers are mounted in a symmetrical pattern on the outer walls of the building. They accentuate the iconic architecture not only visually but also acoustically, turning the façade into a surface that can be heard. The continuous loops of rhythmic patterns both reveal and reconfigure the building’s geometry. By referencing devices of orientation and accessibility such as sound boxes placed at traffic lights for sight impaired people, Erek also draws attention to the politics of perception – how space is organised through systems of guidance, control, and care.By placing the letters ‘L’ and ‘R’ on the building’s façade – commonly read as signifiers for ‘left’ and ‘right’ – Erek stages a further play on symmetry: between the dual channels of stereophonic sound, the bilateral nature of hearing in humans and many animals, the monumental façades of classical architectures, and the ideological divides that structure the abstract political spectrum.”

Cevdet Erek (1974, İstanbul) studied architecture at Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts and completed his postgraduate studies in Sound Engineering and Design and Music at Istanbul Technical University (ITU) MIAM. During his studies and later, he remained active in the Istanbulbased band Nekropsi. He is a part of the faculty at Istanbul Technical University’s (ITU) Center for Advanced Studies in Music (MIAM) and the Turkish Music State Conservatory (TMDK).

About Secession

As an artist-run international institution exhibiting contemporary art, the Secession is an open venue for presentations of new creative ideas and engagements with the urgent concerns of our time. Confronting the complex realities of life and global challenges, we believe it is a core part of our mission to grapple with questions of cultural and social policy and showcase ambitious visions that spark public debate.