Hussein Chalayan continues to take the body and modern anthropology as a starting point for new ideas, presented within new media.
In this new show at Sakip Sabanci Museum in collaboration with Pilevneli Gallery, shown in parallel to the 17th Istanbul Biennale, Chalayan fuses inspiration from notions of ‘pretension’ as seen and criticized in popular culture (Pre-tension), what emotional and physical ‘isolation’ can mean in the pre and post pandemic era (Fake Celebrations), and graphic interpretations of body formations as a result of colonial dance genres, namely in Japan and the Americas(Post-Colonial Body).Film of ‘Gravity Fatigue’ a dance performance designed and directed by Chalayan, harnesses timeless Chalayan concerns based on meaning of identity, disembodiment,
metamorphosis, transcendence and displacement.
For Chalayan culmination of these 4 studies represent how current media with all the hidden influences of historical events, leads to flawed, delusional and at times comical behavioural patterns.
Souffleurs (Prompters), usually known as out of sight people reminding actors forgotten words in a play or a film, in this instance represent objects which can fill in gaps in trains of thought related to the installations.
Apart from Gravity Fatigue film, all the pillars of work are presented as sculptures combined with mapped projections, blurring the lines between static monuments and movement.
