Eda Gecikmez’s solo exhibition, Root and Footing, opens on Thursday, December 12th, at Galeri Nev.
In this exhibition, Gecikmez draws inspiration from her grandmother's inheritance, bringing together the themes of those who give life, those who survive, and those who resist survival in the lands we inhabit. Drawing on Veronica Gago’s concept of body-geography, the artist weaves together stories of transformation and metamorphosis. This concept explores the interconnectedness between bodies experienced as geographical regions and geographical regions experienced as bodies. Just as the human body cannot be separated from nature, no body exists in isolation; it is linked through kinship and carries within it all the knowledge of the land to which it belongs. Root and Footing centers around these embodied experiences, following the trails of the body-geography concept as it takes form in various manifestations. The visual narrative begins with the story of a woman, who embarks on a journey that starts from her homeland and explores multiple temporalities that unfold or are interrupted. Along the way, the work connects to different modes of existence, crafting them together like a patchwork.
This body of work was developed with the support of the CultureCIVIC Cultural Arts Support Program, an EU-funded project, and under the mentorship of Aylime Aslı Demir. Root and Footing will be on view at Galeri Nev until January 18th, 2025.
