Belvü Apartment is located on Nur-u Ziya Street in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul. It has layers of long stories with colorful inhabitants. The building was damaged during the 1999 Gölcük earthquake, became unusable and evacuated due to the subway construction that started later. Ceren Oykut, who lived with the cracks growing on the load-bearing walls of the building, had to leave her place. In 2003, Ceren Oykut, Zeyno Pekünlü and Ari Alpert started a 9-month working process in this building at risk. They produced site-specific works and by warning the visitors about the risk, they opened the Belvü exhibition to public in autumn 2003.
Belvü exhibition forms the basis of Ceren Oykut’s art practice.
Ceren Oykut, carving with fire on wooden floor, 2003
The figures that Ceren Oykut made with fire on wood were forming the storyboard of an animation. Later, the music band Baba Zula made sound for this movie. The track called Belvü is on Baba Zula’s album called Duble Oryantal (Doublemoon Records, 2005)
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Ceren Oykut, marker on wall, 2003
Ceren Oykut, nail on wall, 2003
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Zeyno Pekünlü, wood printing mold on wooden stairs, 2003
Zeyno Pekünlü, wood printing mold on wooden stairs, and prints on papers, 2003
Zeyno Pekünlü, origami, 2003
Zeyno Pekünlü, collage with fabric on wall, 2003
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Ari Alpert, wall carving, 2003
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Video clip for the song Kundante by Fairuz Derin Bulut was shot in Belvü Apartment in 2003.
ceren oykut 