A city is a large human settlement, which has extensive systems for housing, transportation, sanitation, utilities, land use and communication. These systems affect the density of the city, which simplifies the interaction between the people. In this sense, urban phenomenon is an outcome of the humankind but also can be described as a large scaled architectural product. (Goodall, B., 1987) (Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds, 1996) (Karaarslan, 1993) Through the history, the relationship between the city and art has always been mutualistic. They benefit each other in such ways that, cities evolved with the help of the art and art evolved with the new possibilities that are created in the cities and by the participations which lives in there. One of the most effective ways to create this relationship is to design public areas with artworks that can be used as a significant characteristic of that area. (Karaarslan, 1993)
Cities are identified with the buildings, the people that live in there and most importantly the spaces between the denseness of the city. These in-between spaces are substantial for the public, considering that these areas are the only open-aired, and communal used spaces in the cities. According to Douglas Kellner; public spaces are also a place that, diverse ideas and expressions can come out freely and openly, different cultures and experiences can be discussed. Another opinion about public sphere, by Jürgen Habermas says that, public spaces are spaces for people to argue about communal problems, in a rational behavior, which then can create a public opinion. (Özbek, 2004) (Habermas, 2003) To create a qualified public sphere, usually communal art is used in these areas. Communal art can be defined as; art-works that are designed, and planned to be put in especially for that public space. With these communal arts, public areas can become more aesthetically pleasing and more functional for people. By mean functional, people can become a participation in these art-works and they can use them as a tool for communal functions. (Buren, 2000)
In this study, my aim is to work on Kadıköy, its public areas, and communal art-works; and what are the functions of these things, how they connect with the city’s people, participation.
Kadıköy is a district of Istanbul which is located on the Anatolian side. It is placed in the southwestern part of the Kocaeli Peninsula, and it’s surrounded by the Marmara Sea in the west and south, Üsküdar in the north, Atasehir in the northeast and Maltepe in the east. The historical core, which forms the beginning of the settlement in Kadıköy, is from Haydarpasa to Moda Burnu. However, Kadıköy became a permanent settlement area in the 19th century, and integrated with the city of Istanbul. Although, this area is one of the oldest settlements on the Anatolian side, nowadays it is one of the most busiest and visited locations in Istanbul, considering the cafes, restaurants, galleries and cultural buildings it has.
Considering the public spheres in Kadıköy, I want to observe the squares, the building exteriors that face open areas, and the cultural buildings’ dooryards, which also includes artistic touches. The squares, which conjoin both the pedestrian streets and vehicles streets, have different scaled sculptures that define them. These sculptures make every square specific to its own and so that they are mostly used as a meeting point or as a tourist attraction point. Some of the buildings exteriors, which face open areas, are used for painting or ceramics. There is an ongoing festival which brings together international artist, to do murals on the exteriors of some buildings. Cultural buildings, which are used for cultural events, have dooryard that connects the building with the city. In these dooryards there are usually art-works such as paintings, ceramics, and sculptures. With these, cultural buildings’ dooryard becomes a public space that can be used by people. With these public spheres, and the art-works, that are placed in there, Kadıköy become an open-aired museum, which can be visited and experienced by anyone and everyone. The artistic touches in these spheres are like silent inhabitants, which lives among the people.
In epitome, I want to photograph the public spheres in Kadıköy. How these spheres specialized with different art-works and what is their function. I want to study how people react and use these spaces, does it change the city life, do they make a contrast or do they silently live there, among us. I think, it can be intriguing to see through photograph, the correlation between the city, the people, and the public areas which includes art-works.
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