Feeling Home by Erhan Muratoglu

Artist Talk 02.02.2020 at 4pm.

Erhan Muratoglu will talk about his artistic research strands and practice, which contemplate on the social issues generated with urban transformation and gentrification, by navigating through two recent projects: “Persona non Grata” (2017) and “No Seat At the Table” (2019-ongoing).

“Persona non Grata” project was developed following the local authorities’ verdict to demolish “Anafartalar Carsisi” one of Ankara’s first shopping and cultural centre that accommodates many significant artworks by prominent artists. And the on-going project “No Seat At the Table” is a graphic novel about the local effects of gentrification on residents who are disadvantaged by this process, in four different cities: Ankara, Istanbul, Amsterdam and Utrecht.

Erhan Muratoglu is a designer and artist. He studied Industrial Design (Bachelor of ID, Middle East Technical University) and Graphic Design (MFA in Graphic Design, Bilkent University). Muratoglu, addresses issues of urbanization; societal and environmental degradation; and heritage. His practice directly touches upon the complex conditions and experiences of the city that he lives in with criticism and cynicism. His multifaceted projects include illustrations and works on paper; motion graphics; prints; video works; data processing and visualizations; and sound-based works. Muratoglu exhibited in Turkey, Europe, the UK and the United States. He received awards with his video works. He has been writing on design, technology, art and media for various publications, since 1992. He was one of the founding members of NOMAD; Upgrade!Istanbul, and was in the organizing committee of ctrl_alt_del sound-art project (2003-2007). Currently, he is teaching at the Industrial Design Department of the Middle East Technical University. He lives and works in Ankara.