Suela J. Cennet

Arts & CultureDecember 1, 2015
Suela J. Cennet

A good curator is as much of a gem as a good art piece. Although this city is surely expanding its versatility in the art field, we still have a lot to learn when it comes to taste. And with that, comes a good curator who creates it. Suela J. Cennet is a woman who has the knowledge that we all strive for: a dominant grasp of the art world with the past, present, and future combined.

You’ve been working on creating a platform between Istanbul and “the art world” over the last two years. Can you tell us a little bit about what you do?

I have been a fervent believer that Istanbul and the Turkish scene have a role to play in the international level. However to become that hub, it needs to strengthen and multiply its bounds with the rest of the world. Not only by exporting the artists but also in being able to build a consistent ground for the arts within the country. And as you know, there isn’t any public policy making for contemporary art in Turkey, so its economical model is very different from the Anglo-Saxon, German or French ones.

Over the past two years, I have worked from both my office in Paris and Istanbul on developing those ties by counseling institutions, introducing Turkish artists in important foreign collections, developing projects and exchange programs, or even working alongside with leading galleries who are exploring the possibilities of a future implantation in Istanbul.

And your background in Paris? How does it affect what you do today?

Well, I come from an interesting academic background, which wasn’t necessarily predestining me to this career. However, it turned out to be very useful in many aspects. I first studied political sciences and philosophy (double masters degree in International Relations and Diplomacy), and then did a MPA in cultural management at Sciences Po Paris and art history at Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts. So this plural education affects my work methodology, expertise, and the networking skills that these professions require. I would say that the main teaching to remember is to keep the intellectual curiosity as wide as possible.

What would you say are the qualifications that will make “a good curator?”

Curators have become one of the core links operating in the art world. Since Swiss curator Harald Szeemann, who was the first to instigate this as a profession in the 60’s, curators have increased their visibility and importance. Of course curators are the conductors of an artistic production should it be monographic or not. They produce themselves a discourse on the works they are assembling together, giving them sometimes a totally different reading or perspective. Hence the increasing influence in time. But to be a good curator, one would need great organizational skills as well as very pragmatic responses to production, alongside the expertise of course. Nowadays, curators can not afford being intellectuals writing texts only: good curators are able to discuss theory and art history as well as very material consideration operating such as project managers with the artists. This complementarity is to me crucial to a successful dialogue.

You are working on an upcoming gallery project; when, where, how, what?

I was lucky enough to make incredible encounters with the most wonderful artists over the past ten years (as a gallery director as well) and being so passionate about what I do, I’ve always wanted to put together a cutting-edge program and I think Istanbul is the right time and place for it at the moment. People’s interest keeps on growing, their knowledge and understanding of the art world is widening accordingly to their travels abroad, and many collectors have understood the stakes of building a collection.

I have found this super cool old generator factory in one of the historical districts of Istanbul on the Golden Horn in Balat, and I immediately said “this is it”. I am planning on opening this January and I will present a cutting-edge program featuring both established and emerging international and Turkish artists. The inaugural show will be a comprehensive exhibition by Daniel Firman.

“Nowadays, curators can not afford being intellec- tuals writing texts only: good curators are able to discuss theory and art history as well as very material consideration operating such as project managers with the artists.”

As for your future projects; what do you have planned for 2016? What is your creative project with Gilles Fuchs?

2016 is going to be a very busy year with the launch of the gallery. I have invited a few artists of the gallery to a residen- cy in Turkey so that we can work site-specifically. Some of them are going to make research in museums here, produ- ce with local manufacturers etc… It is very exciting to be able to include this ambitious project within the local economy and to have foreigners think and create their exhibitions in the context of Turkey.

As far as Gilles Fuchs is concerned, he came as the ambassador of ADIAF, which he founded in 1994 to promote contemporary artists living in France. Their widely reknown initiative in collaboration with the Pompidou Museum, is the Marcel Duchamp Prize, which has been a tremendous success since its creation. We are thinking about building a plat- form and exchanging with Istanbul within the next two years.

What would be an exhibition that you would love to see in this city?

There are so many! If we talk about institutional shows I would say a Robert Gober retrospective, a Philip-Lorca diCorcia uncensored exhibition, James Turrell, Michael Holzer, Hans Haacke, a comprehensive Cy Twombly retrospec- tive, an exhibition on Support Surface or Cobra among many others…

Do you think that art nowadays is more concept-driven or process-driven?

I don’t think this is a relevant dichotomy. The variety of practices has shown that it can be one or the other and even both at the same time. There is no need to rethink Duchamp’s legacy, it is infinite. To those who say we have reached a paradigmatic limit in today’s creation, I would answer that the future of art lies in multi-disciplinary practices. I quite agree on what philosopher Yves Michaud wrote in his last essays about that.

Who would you consider are some Turkish artists to watch out for? What about exhibitions we should include in our calendars?

Elif Erkan. She is certainly a name you will hear in the future. And as far as the exhibition calendar, come to Daniel Firman’s show in January at The- Pill and stay tuned for a breathtaking program!

Photography: Tabitha Karp

Author: Alara Kap

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