Based on the theoretical framework established in Certeau's "Walking in the City" and Henry Lefebvre's "The Production of Space", the project aims to conduct a comparative research on the social production of space between Istanbul and Zurich. The project examines how everyday life practices and urban space mutually produce each other and how different cultural, social and structural dynamics play a decisive role in this dialectical relationship. One of the central questions of the project is how the differences in approaches to urban planning and spatial planning in Istanbul and Zurich shape the interaction of urbanites with space. In addition to walking, which Certeau exemplifies as ordinary people's "tactics" for experiencing and reproducing space, the project explores how other "tactics" such as play, loitering and exploration can be a resource for artistic activities and urban research. The project will also be a process in which I experience the potential of various activities such as workshops, street games, urban exploration walks, etc. as a source of artistic production and urban research, and organize collaborative events with other researchers and artists working in this field. One of the exciting aspects of the project is its curatorial content. I want to bring together different artists and researchers working on similar topics, organize joint workshops and create a network around the topic.
How do individuals negotiate and navigate the urban environment in Istanbul and Zurich through walking, playing, loitering and other tactics?
What are the dominant tactics used by locals to demolish or reinterpret the planned structures of the city?
How do cultural, historical and economic factors influence the production of space in these two different cities?
How does play affect the social fabric of the streets and how do communities participate in these activities?
What are acceptable levels of chaos and stress in the city?
For what purposes do people walk on the streets?
What kind of memories do we accumulate during spontaneous moments in urban space?
Does the price of a cup of tea play a role in whether we can consider the city our home?
What insights can be gained by comparing the experiences of individuals in Istanbul and Zurich and how do these findings contribute to our understanding of the social production of space globally?"
Location: Istanbul-Zurich