Bathing in Light

The unique story of Turkish natural stone came to light at
Milan Design Week, defined as the “sine qua non” of the design world, taking place on April 9 - 14, 2013. Organized
by Istanbul Mineral Exporters’ Association (IMIB), and
curated by Demirden, a special exhibition on Turkish stone was shown. The second edition of the exhibition first held in 2012, "Thus Spoke the Marble: The Journey Alters You" was spread over 900 square-meter Art Garden of Superstudio 

Piu in Zona Tortona with the new title of "Bathing in Light".

Exhibition curation, space and visual identity were designed
by Demirden.

Six designers and architects from different disciplines, taking the subject of “marble”, which has a tradition going back four thousand years, brought Turkish culture, history and mythology together with contemporary designs that complement their apparent contradictions. The architectural aspects of marble was developed by architects Massimiliano-Doriana Fuksas (Italy), Melkan Gursel-Murat Tabanlioglu (Turkey), and Alisan Cirakoglu (Turkey), from an industrial designer’s point of view designer Mathieu Lehanneur (France), from the fashion designers’ point of view Dice Kayek (Turkey), and last but not least Arik Levy (France), a designer whose work has evolved more and more in an artistic direction.

The second edition, ‘Bathing in Light’, focused on the way in which marble, water and light have always come together as
an ideal combination to express notions such as cleansing
and purity. 

The installations, in which marble, with its unlimited potential
is the main material, were created as an inexhaustible source
of memories, dreams, myths and legends from the past to the present. Executed by Turkish manufacturers and workshops,
the installations were connected by a wooden path like the beads of a necklace.

The exhibition exposed the tactile and visual characteristics
of marble and natural stone and invite visitors on a mental journey while introducing them to their spiritual aspects. Marble has served as the basic material of the greatest works
of art and architecture in the lands of Turkey. This marble, untouched by the ravages of time, is still the prime witness
of civilizations from classic antiquity to the Byzantine Empire, from Ottoman to Modern times.

Project: Turkish Stones
Year: 2013
Location: Milan
Space: 900 m²
Scope: Exhibition Curation, Exhibition Design, Graphic Design
Photography: Franco Chimenti