Plaza Worker

We see people rushing to work around 8.30-9.00 am… With their backs against the plazas, each seems to have a different thought on their mind, at the same time they do not show any sign of emotion. Their faces are masked like ‘poker players’, they rush by you…

People of all ages, races, from all over the world, of different physical and somatic qualities… Tall, short, smart, low-cut shirts, covered… They use their capabilities and experiences on a day-to-day basis, as they have to be at their offices on time, always rushing with briefcases, laptops and mobile phones ready in their hands…

The Elgiz Museum’s new Temporary Exhibitions and Mezzanine event takes it name from Sean Henry’s Plaza Worker. This work is the source of inspiration for this exhibition… The Plaza Worker uses his briefcase as a pillow. He has taken off his shoes, his socks, is barefoot and sleeps, or is trying to sleep and rest in a somewhat crouched position in his grey suit for the next day. As he rests on a high, transparent and ‘coffin rest’-like pedestal, the work is thought-provoking and open to various unfavourable interpretations…

The Elgiz Museum aims to show a different point of view on Maslak’s plaza workers’ various positions and the important it places on contemporary art and sculpture on its Terrace by the Beybi Giz Plaza… After a while Sean Henry’s man-in-suit will put on his socks and shoes, brush his teeth, get a cup of coffee, and be at his desk at 9.00 am sharp…

The works chosen for the Temporary Exhibition Space are ‘works open to interpretation’ and vary in material; works that show single figures as subjects… And these can be split into two groups. The first group is composed of sculptures acquired from the Terrace during 2012-2014, earlier and later acquisitions: Ömer Emre Yavuz, Hakan Bakır, Tanzer Arığ, Hande Şekerciler, Çağdaş Erçelik, Kağan Toros, Mahmut Aydın, Saim Gökhan Ercan, Rahmi Aksungur, Çayan Yılmaz, Derya Özparlak, Yunus Tonkuş.

The other group is composed of earlier and new acquisitions by sculptors that are internationally renowned (Thomas Houseago, Tony Cragg, Seçkin Pirim). Works that have similarities and differences to the first two groups, and essentially deal with the same concerns are by Aron Zsolt Majoros, Luis Vidal and Olivier Blanckart. All works deal with ‘the plaza worker’s loneliness and despair.’ Doesn’t each plaza have their King Ubu’s, Luis Vidal’s small angry men, Olivier Blanckart’s Workers and individuals of other qualities in a sense?

Skyline is the 7th Terrace exhibition, one of the museum’s most important events focussing on sculpture since three years… These events are archived with the Exhibition Installation videos since 2012, 2013, 2014… The Plaza Worker exhibition here also showcases the archive of the Terrace Exhibitions short history & is on view until September 19th, 2015…

– Haşim Nur Gürel, 1. 5. 2015