Artists: one and a half collective, Kerem Ozan Bayraktar, Sinem Gear, Negar Farajiani, Ayat Najafi, Mahmoud Obaidi, Tehran Platform (Mehran Davari, Niloofar Najafi, Elmira Shirvani)
The interdisciplinary art project Sandstorm – And Then There was Dust takes artistic and scientific tools to address the origins and consequences of sandstorms and aim to reach the civilian population in mesopotamia and its vicinity (present-day Turkey, Iraq and Iran) to reach the civilian population in the affected areas, improve their sensitivity and mobilize them. As an ecological phenomenon, it focuses on sandstorms and associated sociopolitical conditions.///
The ecological and political work produced was the result of collaborations with established peoples, activists, scientists and other actors in order to create a sustainable impact. Works explore the origins and consequences of sandstorms, visualize them both in those regions and in the exhibition area as art work, and shed light on their historical, material and conceptual formations.
Artists' work aims to inspire communities to use their resources within their own contexts and practices, supporting the development of artistic and creative initiatives that strengthen both traditional and alternative knowledge and methods. Moreover, not only does it provide information about this phenomenon to prevent further desertification, it offers possible scenarios that could prevent further damage, and it is looking for methods. The exhibition shows ways to "stay in trouble" (Haraway, 2016) and make the affected areas liveable for their citizens.
Both human and non-human actors depicted in the exhibition are affected by the environmental realities mentioned. By making these historical narratives visible, the project offers an area that can be considered in depth.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a broadcast by eight writers from different disciplines and a video tour that will include performances by artists. The publication and video can be accessed from the Warehouse's website shortly after the exhibition opens.
Sandstorm – And Then There was Dustwas carried out by Arta Atelier, Berlin (Sarah Maske and Ayat Najafi) in collaboration with The Warehouse with valuable contributions from Kulturakademie Tarabya, Prince Claus Fund and Goethe Institut.
Curator: Sarah Mask
Artists
