Selma Gültoprak

Mixed media, at Matjö - Raum für Kunst

Selma Gültoprak concentrated on racing pigeons in her solo exhibition AWARE OF ANOTHER and researched the topic during her 2016 residency in China. In and around Beijing she sought out pigeon fanciers and interviewed them, which led to an increasing network of contacts of fanciers and their pigeon lofts. Since 1976, after the Chinese Cultural Revolution, pigeon races are no longer prohibited by the state that before suspected capitalist tendencies in the races. Nowadays the races are a lucrative market for the new Chinese middle class. The cultural significance of the racing pigeon is diverse and reaches far back in history: while serving as messengers during ancient times until now, the pigeon is still used today for military purposes.

Selma Gültoprak developed new works for AWARE OF ANOTHER in the gallery “Matjö – space for art” honouring the pigeon: taking the pigeon as an example, the artist examined the meaning of culture, memory and change over time.