One and the Many

“One and the Many” is a research-based exhibition into the production and distribution of things.

It tackles the period 1955–95 in Turkey, by following the material results of gradual industrialization as well as its contingent infrastructural disposals. The exhibition frames the topic primarily via the stories of selected artifacts common to the 80s, a period when industrial products met a voluminous consumer market for the first time.

One and the Many traces a timeline through the period’s material culture, setting it in relation to how it was made accessible to the public gaze. By bringing together artifacts and stories from a wide variety of industries — including automotive, white goods, furniture, toy, stationery, pret-a-porter, textile, food and beverage, tableware, cutlery, and hygiene — the exhibition informs consumers of less known narratives and allows them to add information that will expand the research.

It also bridges the period’s ripple effects on cultural economy by additionally introducing less common scenes from the practices of contemporary art and fashion: moments that expose the nurturing of a particular fascination with the concept of unique products. 

6 September – 13 November 2016
One and the Many 
SALT Galata
Bankalar Caddesi 11, Istanbul