We witness the collapse of the power structures of our current world. And we remodel the distribution systems where the representation of power circulates. Our power doesn't belong to the norms. Our power is non-oppressive. Our power is artistic. We are no leader. We are no hero. We are leaderless.
Isaac Chong Wai is a multidisiplinary artist living in Berlin and now in Istanbul as the guest of Kulturakademie Tarabya . His solo exhibition that flourishes with publications, interviews and performance,Leaderless", opened at Bilsart on January 6th in collaboration with Kulturakademie Tarabya and Zilberman.
In the core of the exhibition that will continue until February 1st 2021, lies a one hour performance. That is conducted by four dancers, who were selected via an open call and who are very well prepared dispite the limited time: Meltem Gürlevik, Su Güzey, İsmet Köroğlu, Can Özmen and Verda Zincirkıran. There will be three more live performances on the dates 12-13-19 January, that could be seen by making a reservation.
Wire fences, gray floor, white light of the renewed venue of Bilsart evoking thoughts of imprisonment, that are in well harmony with the performance, questioning structures that are controlled by one leader, from one hand and rehearsing the power structes once these structures are dissolved.
Sergi ver performansa, başucu kitabı sayılabilecek Prisoners of Ourselves: Totalitarianism in Everyday Life‘nün yazarı ve psikolog Gündüz Vassaf ile Isaac Chong Wai’nin “Lidersiz” üzerine söyleşilerinin de yer aldığı bir gazete eşlik ediyor. Söyleşi, lidersizliğin tıpkı sessizlik gibi, aldığı ekle (-sız, -siz) bir yokluk, eksiklik gibi algılanması, kendiliğinden gelen negatif anlamı üzerinden başlıyor.
The neon light playing with the word "leader-less" by blinking refers to this meaning: Invites the audience to think about the liberating potential of the power of loosing the center, everyone to become leaders, that is to say leaders becoming silent.
There will be a second part of the exhibition named "Podiums": On 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th January, there will be live or digital talks with Evrim Altuğ, Pia Entenmann, Ceren Ergenç, Consul General Johannes Regenbrecht, Gündüz Vassaf.
The podcast with Isaac Chong Wai in conversation with Ceren Ergenç, who wrote a piece entitled "Crowds Without Leaders: From the Streets to Solidarity Networks" to the exhibition newspaper could be heard from here .
From the rising totalitarianism and nation states to the authority gathering in a single center in the family, the utopia of leaderless that could be read in a wide scope evokes a collective consciousness. Such that after the performance, similiar current political developments are on everyone's lips. istanbulberlin recommends as an invitation to look at our time with art and to re-think about contingency.
