“Who Doesn't Love You, May Die"*

About

"Who Doesn't Love You, May Die", a group exhibition curated by art journalist M. Gülben Çapan is now open at Anna Laudel Istanbul. Highlighting the journey of Arabesque music changing and evolving into a popular music genre, the exhibition can be visited until 10 September 2023.

Named after Tüdanya’s 1986 hit song (aka, Seni Sevmeyen Ölsün), the exhibition features a selection of interdisciplinary works of 8 artists working with different materials and techniques, including Anıl Can, Ardan Özmenoğlu, CANAN, Cansu Yıldıran, Haluk Çobanoğlu, Rasim Aksan, Tuğberk Selçuk and Yasemin Özcan.

A major cultural phenomenon of the 1960s that emerged as a reaction to Turkey's modernization efforts, Arabesque  is the main theme of the exhibition. Emphasising difficult living conditions, Arabesque culture was restricted and censored for many years, then manifested itself in different forms and shapes throughout the history of music.     

Inspired by the social gap between the figures referred to as the "fathers" of arabesque in the past and those who continue to live in harsh conditions of the “arabesque lifestyle” today, the selection invites us to reconsider the "left out" who are still in search of their identities.

“Who Doesn’t Love You May Die” tells the story of the social transformation of the heroes created by this culture that seeks a collective self-identity and a "saviour" through the tragedy of pain and the rebellion of love by showing how new heroes are created.

The comprehensive group exhibition "Who Doesn't Love You, May Die" curated by M. Gülben Çapan, focusing on Arabesque culture as the most personal expression of a rebellious spirit, will be on display at Anna Laudel until September 10, 2023.