Irem Tok (b. 1982) lives and works in Istanbul. The concepts such as fragility, temporariness, helplessness lies at the core of Irem Tok’s practice. Playing with the boundaries between human, nature and culture, the artist uses different mediums such as sculpture, painting, animation, ceramics and scenes, and create atmospheres with fine details. Tok's production process includes research, interpretation, discovery, collection, accumulation, thinking, note taking, drawing and combining. By transforming the symbols of knowledge like encylopedias and books she confronts the historical narratives and encourages a subjective one.
She has participated in a number of artist-in-residence programs, including: Kamiyama Air, Japan (2018) Cité des Arts, Paris (2013), Villa Waldberta, Munich (2012), art.homes, Munich (2011), School Gate Project of Incheon Foundation for Art & Culture, South Korea (2010), Litmus Community Space, South Korea (2009).
Her solo exhibitions are Close Up, PILOT, Istanbul, Turkey (2019), "Heian No Mori" (Kamiyama, Japan, 2018), "Where I Fell into Earth" (Pilot, Istanbul, 2016), "Against the Wind" (Pilot, Istanbul, 2013) and "Fade Away" (Outlet Galeri, Istanbul, 2011).
SEDIMENTS
This project explores the environmental interactions of the Golden Horn, examining the effects of human intervention on nature and investigating the natural, cultural, scientific and ecological change of water and mud.
During the Ottoman period, it was quite common to make ceramics from the mud of the Golden Horn. The mud of the Golden Horn was considered an ideal material for ceramic production due to its rich mineral content and special texture. Ceramic workshops were located on and around the shores of the Golden Horn, where craftsmen processed and fired the mud to produce a variety of ceramic objects. These ceramics were often used as everyday objects and ornaments and played an important role in the art and culture of the Ottoman period. According to various sources, taxes were reduced for those who made ceramics from the mud of the Golden Horn.
“Yenişehirlioğlu (2007, p. 360) states that it is understood that the red clay was taken from the mud of the Golden Horn or the surrounding soil, while the white clay was taken from clay deposits used since the Byzantine period. “
However, with industrialization and modernization, the Golden Horn and its surroundings underwent major changes. With the establishment of industrial facilities, the urban fabric changed drastically, and the peaceful atmosphere of the Golden Horn was lost due to the impact of industrial activities. Manufacturing plants, slaughterhouses, shipyards and other industrial facilities completely changed the appearance and texture of the environment. This industrial transformation has also affected the natural and cultural life around the Golden Horn. The shores of the Golden Horn, which used to be full of fishing and small craft workshops, have been degraded by the impact of industrial waste and pollution, and have taken on a new face where the water and sludge are heavily contaminated with heavy metals, toxic chemicals and other pollutants. Scientific analysis shows that these pollutants in sludge pose serious threats to environmental health. Heavy metal pollution has particularly negative impacts on the underwater ecosystem and water biodiversity. The discharge of wastewater and industrial waste into the Golden Horn has reduced the quality of the water and negatively affected underwater life.
Heavy metal pollution causes serious impacts on aquatic ecosystems and underwater biodiversity. These pollutants adversely affect the health, reproductive capabilities and genetic makeup of aquatic organisms. Their impact on the food chain in aquatic ecosystems is of great importance, because when one organism absorbs heavy metals or is depleted by another organism, these pollutants accumulate along the chain and can eventually affect organisms upstream, including humans. This can lead to serious health problems in many areas ranging from seafood to the human diet.
The sands on our beaches were once known as clean and pure areas where children enjoyed playing and getting lost in the soothing waves of the sea. Today, however, human activities such as industrial waste, urban drainage and agricultural activities have contaminated our sands and mud with heavy metals and other pollutants. This pollution threatens the health and biodiversity of coastal ecosystems and negatively impacts human access to natural areas. The current state of sand and mud reveals the impacts of human activities on the natural environment. Today, the mud of the Golden Horn is neither suitable for making ceramics nor for touching.
In the future, increasing levels of pollution of sand and mud could change the function of beach areas, not only visually and aesthetically, but also as tactile and interactive spaces. Perhaps a point where our children and grandchildren will lose the experience of playing in the sand is not too far away. This is a situation that requires urgent action, not only for the protection and restoration of coastal ecosystems, but also to rebuild people's connection with nature and increase their sensitivity to natural areas. My project tries to establish a connection between the past, the future and the present through the tactility-intangibility of sand and mud.
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