Culture in Progress
Gökhan Gedik
Different civilizations that have lived in the same areas throughout history have been the most important factor in the formation of a collective memory of the city. Each different community or civilization has reinterpreted the daily routines, rituals, small or large-scale activities of the people who lived before them and which are actually cultural reflections according to their own norms, or they have transferred this memory to future generations. Kayseri has a multi-layered structure formed by many different civilizations. In this dense historical past, there are situations, events, ceremonies, etc., which are lost in time or which are one of the most fundamental problems of today, and the dramatic change, and cultural codes that existed in the past but have been partially or completely forgotten today. These phenomena significantly affect the belonging to the city.
However, different situations have been observed in each generation. Every different generation living in Kayseri want to live and tell the routines and rituals that existed in their past but are no longer visible today. Weakening ties with the past and these missing aspects of culture reveal the problem of communication between people and the problem of adaptation to the present.
It focuses on the idea of transforming something from the past into something of the present. According to the design concept of the studio project, a concept where all people living in the city come together and learn and talk about the facts of the city's culture has been determined with a majoritarian approach. In order to solve the communication problem between people, a solution is proposed in which the facts of the past are indirectly explained with the abstraction art. In this way, cultural events etc. abstracted by different sub-concepts of the abstraction art will bring people together and create an environment to talk and discuss what is intended to be conveyed in the exhibitions.
Within the framework of this concept, people living in the city will be able to learn about the culture of Kayseri with the library and educational opportunities while taking part in the production of these exhibitions. Along with the open and closed exhibition areas created within the concept, people will be able to interact in open discussion areas and workstation areas.