“Signes without Echoes”

(7 December 2010-22 January 2011)

5 ceramic sculptures of Furtun that mean "Sign, enough, waiting, stop, anger" in sign language have been exhibited.

Catalog: Zeynep Rona’s text.

Articles about the exhibition:

• Sakine Çil, “Bir Elin Nesi, Beş Elin Sesi”, Evrensel newspaper, 15 January 2011.
• Adalet Cingöz, “Geleceğin Sanatçıları Listesindeki İki Türk Kim?”, Sabah newspaper, 22 January 2011.
• Anonymous, “Duyarsızlığa Karşı Sanat”, Cumhuriyet newspaper, 22 January 2011.
• Anonymous, “Yankısız İmler”, Türkiye Seramik Federasyonu magazine, January-March 2011.

My artist-gallery relationship with Rabia Çapa and Varlık Yalman started with my 4th solo exhibition in 1980 upon their invitation and continued uninterruptedly for 36 years. MAG was an assertive exhibition space with its walls and floor covered with ceramic tiles. As a ceramic artist, it was exciting for me that ceramics that are used functionally and ceramics that I will use artistically were coming together. I liked this place a lot and besides many group exhibitions, I had my three solo exhibitions in this space in 1988, 1994, and 2010. The reason I connected with the gallery was not only because of the charm of the gallery but also the Rabia Çapa’s and Varlık Yalman’s sincere, loving, and friendly approach to art. They were getting excited as the artist in every exhibition and built up the exhibition with love and sincerity. Unfortunately, we lost Varlık way too soon. Despite the pain that surrounded all of us, Rabia has accomplished to sustain Maçka Art Gallery with the same enthusiasm, love, and quality to this day. In a long period in which art was not evaluated as it should be, Rabia detected the values and while opening exhibitions with well-known artists, she also showed the courage to open exhibitions for young artists, conceptual art and, avant-garde concepts and become a pioneering gallerist. I have always cared about this. Instead of sales-oriented exhibitions, and knowing that there will be no sales, without giving up on her intuition and foresight, she opened the first exhibitions of artists who will be valuable and important in our art world in the future. She has kept her non-profit gallery, always by forcing her means without giving up on this approach and never compromising on quality. MAG has carried out many important pioneer approaches. I can list them as follows: arranging art talks by organizing panels, holding and recording meetings where the artists talk about their works in the exhibitions, and printing exhibition brochures. In addition, by designing clothes symbolizing that exhibition and wearing them at the opening of each exhibition, she not only revealed her creativity but also created the unique "Exhibition Clothes" collection. This gallery, which has become a living space for me beyond all these pioneering, exciting original events, Rabia Çapa gathered artists from all different disciplines of art around her table at every exhibition. Where art is discussed, friendships are formed, pleasant conversations are made, yellow vodka and nuts were never missing from the table, she created a warm, friendly art environment and included us all in this environment. We cannot thank enough Rabia Çapa for this long and valuable contribution to Turkish Art, and for keeping this warm and friendly art environment alive, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year and close its doors. I will fondly commemorate the 36 years I spent in this gallery, and I am sure its value and uniqueness will be recognized whereas its absence will be deeply felt.”

Candeğer Furtun (15.04.2016)