Exhibit runs Oct 28–Dec 21
ARTIST STATEMENT
People’s lives in Turkey changed dramatically after the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016. Instead of a proper investigation regarding the perpetrators of the coup, the Turkish government quickly engaged in a mass purge of thousands of peaceful and innocent civilians, leading to unemployment, unfair imprisonment, social exclusion, and total defenselessness in the face of State violence and harassment. People from all walks of life were taken aback by the disproportionate response of the government that turned into a collective punishment. Repeated threats were made of totally ripping out all members of social and ethnic communities who were assumed to be enemies of the state. This ensured a mass exodus of people from Turkey. Those who were able to fly from the airport with their passport considered themselves lucky compared to those who had to walk across the border by paying their life savings to human smugglers because their passports had been canceled without any due process. It was only after they landed in safety and freedom that feelings of a lost country crept in, together with the traumatic memories that darkened the beautiful memories of their lives before the coup. The objects displayed in this exhibition are the relics of these lost lives, representing the yearning for a homeland that was abruptly and arbitrarily denied to them simply because of their association with a social group.
This exhibit is presented in collaboration with Emerald Hills Institute, the United Nations Association (UNA-USA) Utah Chapter, and the UN Women Utah Chapter.
NOTE: The Main Library's Rooftop Terrace is closed for renovations.
Salt Lake City's Main Library, designed by internationally-acclaimed architect Moshe Safdie in conjunction with VCBO Architecture, opened in February 2003 and remains one of the most architecturally unique structures in Utah. This striking 240,000 square-foot structure houses more than 500,000 books and other materials, yet serves as more than just a repository of books and computers. It reflects and engages the city's imagination and aspirations. The structure embraces a public plaza, with shops and services at ground level, reading galleries above, and a 300-seat auditorium.
A multi-level reading area along the Glass Lens at the southern facade of the building looks out onto the plaza with stunning views of the city and Wasatch Mountains beyond. Spiraling fireplaces on four floors resemble a column of flame from the vantage of 200 East and 400 South. The Urban Room between the Library and the Crescent Wall is a space for all seasons, generously endowed with daylight and open to magnificent views.
