Cevdet Erek : Alt Ust at Spike Island in Bristol

Posted on: 2014-02-19

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Immersive installation at Spike Island


 

Cevdet Erek, a Turkish artist and musician, presents Alt Ust, his first solo exhibition in the UK, at Spike Island in Bristol. Erek’s works involve space, sound and rhythm all combined in a minimal language.

The title, Alt Ust, in Turkish means below/above or mixed up. Here, Alt is the first part of Erek’s central architectural intervention while Ust, its partner piece, is upstairs. What is important to know is that Erek’s installation mixes new works he created in loco with sound mixes that combine past works with relation to the peculiarities of the space and architectural additions he makes. This show, in particular, proposes a simple division of double-height gallery space to create a top lit upper gallery and beneath it, a dark underground space.

As you enter the gallery, you find Ruler and Rhythm Studies (2007-2011), a series of typical Perspex rulers used to represent years for a mere interpretation of history, both the Turkish and the world history. A new addition to the Rulers series, Ruler Century, is the result of Erek’s collaboration with Alex Phillips, a local craftsman with whom he created a wood ruler representing years from 1914 to 2014, for the commemoration of the centenary of the First World War. While you’re watching the collection of rulers your attention is captured by the sound coming out from the directional speakers located around the gallery. A second part of the show is dedicated to an underground space lit with blue LED bulbs and filled with a five channel mix playing sounds of house and techno music.

Leaving this space, one sees a video, Studio, the earliest of Erek’s work in the exhibition. The more you approach the image, the more the sound lowers. Then, another piece of the artist’s collaboration with local people. This is the case of the Bristol/London based experimental music duo Emptyset that translated into sound Ruler Rhythm 1.

A ramp leads up to Ust where the gallery space is untouched and unadorned and you can only hear a low beat that reminds of a heartbeat, through vibrations coming from below.

This is the time that you realise the meaning and, from my point of view, the beauty of the show, indeed Alt and Ust represent respectively day and night time, mainstream and sub-cultural activities. But, you don’t have to think of them as strictly separated. That’s why the light from the upper space seeps in through the floor to the night time world below and the dance beat of the lower ground can be felt above.

 

Reviewed by Evita Sabatiello for 365Bristol.



Article by:

James Anderson

Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.