Island Time

Greek islands like Mykonos, Santorini, and Paros may be among the most visited in Greece, and Hydra certainly wins the prize for the biggest art scene, thanks to its annual Deste Foundation exhibition. Burcu Fikretoğlu and Gizem Naz Kudunoğlu, the two women behind the Istanbul-based art platform Perasma, though, are trying to change that. The duo is presenting "All Things Become Islands Before My Senses," a group exhibition across Leros—one of Greece’s less-frequented islands—until September 8, 2024.

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An ideal naval base due to its deep bay that can house ships and submarines with ample protection, Leros dates back to the Roman Empire, then the Ottoman Empire before being handed back to Greece in 1821. In 1912, Italy seized it during the Libyan civil war. Thinking it would control the island indefinitely, the Italian government made massive developments, creating Porto Lago (now Lakki), a neighborhood filled with examples of minimal, fascist-period, rationalist architecture inspired by elements like Giorgio De Chirico’s arches. The Italian occupation lasted 31 years until German troops captured it in WWII. The British took over Leros the end of the war, and the island was reunited with Greece in 1948. It became an island of exiles, with dissidents, reform students, mental institution patients, and now refugees being sent there.

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During the German occupation, Otto Meister, a German soldier stationed on Leros, expressed his creativity by painting frescoes depicting military life and copies of Breugel’s “Peasant Wedding” and “Peasant Dance” on the walls of the military barracks. They remain today, exposing fragments of post-war life.

Despite Leros's complicated past, the picturesque island has preserved its charm, with countless beaches, crystalline waters, and Mylos—arguably Greece's best seafood restaurant. Fikretoğlu and Naz Kudunoğlu used the connection to Meister’s art as one of their exhibition’s starting points, gathering 17 artists, including Pawel Althamer, Eugenia Vareli, William Kentridge, Sophie Von Hellermann, Cevdet Erek, Laura Footes, Lindsey Mendick, Kostis Velonis, and Maryam Turkey.

The commissioned artists touch upon Leros and its history in their work, examining topics like migration, Greek mythology, and island life. Von Hellermann painted murals within the house, while Althamer worked with refugees to create a sculpture in their likeness on a boat. Mendick's lyrical ceramics based on Leda and the Swan (Zeus becomes a swan and rapes Leda) eloquently turned the myth into sculpture, and Footes's paintings compare the pain of her journey of Crohn's disease to a boat floating in tumultuous waters. The majority of the exhibition is at the Perasma space, located in an Ottoman house built in 1886, with site-specific exhibitions at the elementary school featuring Di Chirico-inspired arches where Erek replicated the sounds of waves through an interactive installation, and the old military barracks covered in frescoes painted by Meister as well as a painting by Turkish artist Goshka Macuga.

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Ann Binlot: What drew you to the island from Istanbul?

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Burcu Fikretoğlu: Perasma’s mission is to stage exhibitions in new and unexpected places around the world and provide a dynamic stage to bring the work of emerging and established artists to new audiences. As we learnt more about the island, its unique traditions, architecture, and historical importance we felt that this would be a fantastic place to stage an exhibition in which artists respond to the island’s surroundings. We wanted to use our platform and that of our amazing artists to bring new visitors and perspectives to the island. Connecting with the community of Leros is also integral to our approach and we have encouraged the artists to collaborate and engage with the local community where they can.

AB: Tell me about the exhibition title, "All Things Become Islands Before My Senses." What does it mean? How did you go about curating the show?

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Gizem Naz Kudunoğlu: The title of the exhibition is a line from a poem by Italian poet and novelist Cesare Pavese, entitled “Passion for Solitude.” The poem is an introspective appreciation for isolation, enjoying your own company, and finding peace in being alone, the allure of calmness and simple moments of life that present extreme tranquility; and how these moments stimulate self-exploration. The exhibition is in many ways a similar introspective contemplation of the island’s identity and history. Being an island itself, there is the literal play on words in the title, as well as demonstrating the innate nature of solitude in being an island. We felt this line of the poem encapsulated this exploration of identity that we wanted the artists to contemplate about the island themselves when creating their works. The exhibition considers the passage of time, revolving around this idea of how the fluidity of existence can give rise to both beauty and adversity. The cyclical nature of time on Leros is intertwined with its maritime heritage. As ships come and go, carrying with them stories of trade, exploration, and conquest, the island becomes a nexus where past and present intersect. History, mythology, fantasy, ghosts and reality, overlay themselves upon the island like the currents of its waters.

AB: The 17 artists are from Greece, Turkey, the U.S.,, the U.K., Poland, and South Africa, among other places. How did you select them?

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BF: Over the years, we have developed close relationships with several artists, following their journeys and enjoying an ongoing dialogue with them. They are familiar with our path, and together, we have grown. We also follow and connect with new artists, including those participating in the exhibition. When we shared our plans for Leros, they were very excited, inspiring us and contributing to a collective creative effort. The themes we explore are universal, not geographically bound, which has fuelled their interest in creating works around these topics. This collaborative dialogue has brought us to where we are today.

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AB: The exhibition takes place across Leros, at an Ottoman villa from the 1800s, the modernist school built by the Italians, the Nautical Club, and at the Barracks. How were the venues selected?

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GNK: After our first exhibition last summer, we stayed on the island through the winter and continued exploring its layers, which mesmerized us. We decided to engage deeply with the island’s locations, buildings, structures, and history. Our aim has been to bring these elements together with the artists, responding to the island’s remarkable past through their work.

AB: What do you hope to convey through the exhibition?

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BF: It’s a journey that we deeply enjoy, learning from the island, its residents and the past. Through our project, we aim to create new dialogues and open up new questions, engaging with the island, its craftsmen and locals. We want to have the art audience of Turkey and the international art scene here to be a part of the discussions that can potentially arise. This is a very sincere process that seeks to evolve with the island’s unique energy. The project grows organically, influenced by the island's magical qualities.

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AB: What's next for Perasma? Will you do this again on Leros next year?

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GNK: When we began working on the first exhibition last year, it was originally intended as a one-time project. However, as we got to know the island, it became clear that leaving it after just a glimpse of it was not an option. We felt compelled to continue building on this dialogue and curiosity. This year's project is naturally much more inclusive and more in-depth than the previous one in relation to its location and we are even more excited about what lies ahead. Our intention is to continue this work next year and now we are even more excited with the discussions that have already started with the artists and collaborators.

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"All Things Become Islands Before My Senses" is on view until September 8, 2024 on Leros, Greece.