26. – 28. June 2020
AARC is an experimental artistic solidarity project conceived by Errant Sound and Apartment Project in Berlin. After the racist murders in Hanau, the two groups met to initiate a collaboration between the two project spaces – also as a political statement – by forming the ”Artists Against Racism Collaborative (AARC)”.
The short form AARC refers to the word arc — arc as a bridge between artists of different fields and cultural backgrounds. At the same time, the title phonetically evokes the “AARGGH!” interjection, conveying common feelings of despair, fear, and exhaustion among communities who are affected by racist attacks and/or exposed to subtle forms of racism. The collectively formulated voice develops individual and/or joint responses to such emotions and names and unveils everyday practices of racism. Through this collaboration, the two venues aim to create a mutual artistic conversation, facilitate a process of collaboration, and develop new forms of solidarity.
TORTU is the Turkish word for “residue”. It describes a solid matter that isn’t able to blend into the liquid in which it accumulates, clouding it when stirred. TORTU is what leaves its sticky traces on the body, what penetrates into the flesh; it seals off the network of communications; paralyzes the cells: It dominates. The works shown under the title TORTU characterize the urgency to respond to the political and social issue of racism whose impact on everybody’s life cannot be ignored. Racism hangs there among us, unresolved and unbroken, clouding judgment, obstructing transparency, and tainting social and political environments.
Since April about 15 artists were in a regular exchange. Some new collaborations emerged and will be presented in connection with existing works. The AARC-series will be continued this year in an open group.
AARC#1 — TORTU is a three-day exhibition at Errant Sound combined with an event with performances and presentations at Apartment Project.
Artists: Emre Birişmen, Andrei Cucu, Melih Sarıgöl & Laura Mello, Oliver Möst, Özlem Sarıyıldız & Bora Yediel, Çiğdem Üçüncü & Steffi Weismann
