Ramazan Can & Cem Sonel

All the good memories are stored
November 15, 2024 – January 12, 2025
Istanbul

From November 15, 2024, to January 12, 2025, Anna Laudel Istanbul invites you to explore All The Good Memories Are Stored, a thought-provoking exhibition by Ramazan Can and Cem Sonel. Bringing together their collaborative and individual works, the artists delve deep into the constructs of time and memory, artfully merging tradition with contemporary expression.

In this exhibition, the artists demonstrate a masterful integration of seemingly disparate materials, ranging from woven carpets and concrete to neon and LED installations. This eclectic mix serves as a conduit to reflect upon and challenge the fluidity of time and memory within today’s ever-shifting world. The interplay of digital LED elements with traditional woven textiles lends a contemporary reinterpretation to cultural motifs, seamlessly linking personal recollections with the collective memory.

While Can and Sonel’s chosen media may appear distinct, Can’s rooted in intricate weavings and Sonel’s in digital binary structures, works reveal a shared resonance with a unified narrative. The intersecting warp and weft threads of Can’s textiles mirror the code-based foundations present in Sonel’s digital compositions, creating imagery reminiscent of pixelated screens and suggesting a delicate harmony between past craftsmanship and modern technology.

Central to All The Good Memories Are Stored is the concept of collective memory, focusing not on shared lived experiences but on a collective understanding of the past’s echoes. The union of pixel-based LEDs and traditional textiles blurs the boundaries between past and future, weaving them into a singular, contemplative vision. This narrative draws inspiration from Andreas Huyssen’s reflections on the temporal dimensions of memory, offering a poignant meditation on its evolving layers.