Project/Workshop Canakkale 2019 Artist Talk: 14.10.2019 (evening) Journey from Assos to Troj:15 – 21.10. 2019 - 7 Days of walk Cooperation : „daire Konuk Sanatci Programi“ and „Troya Kültür Dernegi Canakkale“ Mentor: Nezaket Ekici Participants Artist in Residency Program of „daire Konuk Sanacti Programi“ : Eda Sütunc, Gülcin Karaca, Ilke Sahin and Local Artist from Canakkale: Deniz Toka

Nezaket Ekici presents her project/workshop “From Now to Back – from Assos/Aristotle to Troy/Homer’s Iliad – Journey/Walk – 120 km” at the Artist Talk in Çanakkale on Monday, October 14, 2019. For the 120 km journey from Assos to Troy, Ekici began walking with four participating artists on Tuesday, October 15. The journey will last seven days, with the group walking approximately 17 km each day. The trip has been documented with photos and video recordings. Assos is home to the only Doric temple in Asia Minor, dedicated to Athena, and was also the site of Aristotle’s first philosophical academy. Troy is the 19th-century archaeological site described in Homer’s Iliad, later uncovered by Heinrich Schliemann. The two places are linked by a 120 km path and serve as important historical witnesses to the philosophical and cultural heritage of both East and West. With this journey performance, Nezaket Ekici aims to highlight the rich diversity of cultural and historical events, locations, and narratives in the region. Çanakkale, with its connections to both Assos and Troy, is to be explored and artistically represented through the performance. For this journey, the path itself is the goal. It has been an experience in which the group did not only discuss performance art, Aristotle, and Homer, but also reflected on the surrounding landscape and the people living in the villages along the way. Above all, it is the people who embody the history of the region—one could say they carry within themselves the experiences of the land. These local inhabitants were actively and interactively integrated into the project. The performance journey served as a source of inspiration for developing and enacting new performance ideas along the way and upon arrival in Troy. Participants took part in various performance-based concentration exercises. A key focus remains on understanding the foundational craft of performance art and becoming aware of one’s actions and presence in space; a performance is always an act of occupying space. In addition, the participants drew, read, thought, ate, and were involved with the local community. Interviews were conducted in the villages. Nights were spent both in village homes and in open nature. Each evening, a live broadcast took place with philosopher Dr. Andreas Dammertz in Stuttgart, who offered philosophical insights into Homer, Aristotle, and the ancient world, as well as responded to questions from the group. In Assos, the city’s history has been explored with a focus on Aristotle. Along the path to Troy, Homer and the Iliad became central themes. But throughout the entire journey, the land and its living people remained at the heart of the experience. On the final day, a live performance took place on the archaeological grounds of Troy and in the amphitheatre. (Text Edited: Jono Wang Chu)

backpacks, notepad, pens, paper, book Homer, utensils from nature

7 days, 15.10 - 21.10.2019

Idea: Nezaket Ekici, Curator: Deniz, Erbas ve Seyhan Boztepe, participants: Artist in Residency (daire Konuk Sanacti): Eda Sütunc, Gülcin Karaca, Ilke Sahin, local artists/Canakkale: Deniz Toka. Camera: Saygin Mavinil, Burak Topcakil, video: Saygin Mavinil guide: Egemen Cakir, driver: Murat Aslanol, Thank: Prof. Rüstem Aslan, Dr. Andreas Dammertz, Nazli Gürlek, Deniz Erbass, Seyhan Boztepe , Aysegül Kurtel, Orikide Salar, daire Konuk Sanacti Programi, Troya Kültür Dernegi (Canakkale)