For Sale-Not For Sale | 2004

Diyarbakır Municipality Guesthouse

September 25-December 3

The 23rd International Contemporary Artists Diyarbakır Exhibition

Jury / Curators: Anton Lederer, Başak Şenova, Eyal Danon.

For Sale-Not For Sale, Detail of Site-specific intervention, 2004, Diyarbakır Municipality Guesthouse, Sticker word on window.

For Sale-Not For Sale, Installation view, 2004, Diyarbakır Municipality Guesthouse, Sticker word on window.

For Sale-Not For Sale, Site-specific intervention, 2004, Diyarbakır Municipality Guesthouse, Sticker word on window.

For Sale-Not For Sale, Inside of the exhibition area, 2004, Sticker word on window.

For Sale-Not For Sale, Site-specific intervention, 2004, Diyarbakır Municipality Guesthouse, Sticker word on window.

“For Sale-Not For Sale” attempted to draw attention to the geographic location of Diyarbakir and the political events occurring in the South Eastern region of Turkey in a playful way. If a property is put on sale or rent, those words are displayed on the windows for the announcement of it. This installation was created with that typical situation and For Sale words were displayed on the windows of Diyarbakır Municipality Guesthouse where the exhibition was held. Thus, the place was portrayed as if it was put on sale.

On the next day, the people of Diyarbakır, who noticed the signs, actually thought that the building was really put on sale. Even the Task Force Police officers camedemanding that the work to be removed. For that reason, the word of “Not” was added some of the “For Sale” writings. That interference strengthened the irony of the work and the questions like: Was that property for sale or not for sale, who was the owner of it, carried on.