On Wednesday 17th
June on a dark, wet, wintery Canberra night a fabulous exhibition opened at the
University of New South Wales Canberra Academy Library to warm our hearts and
minds.
The Descendant project
exhibition contains 20 beautiful portraits by Mertim Gokalp and related material designed to ignite the curiosity
about who we are in relation to our past.
The Descendants Project
was designed to create a personal identity journey, commemorating Anzac
History, honouring the past and celebrating our future by exploring reflections
of a 100 year old war on the generations of the present. It reflects the
intertwined relationship of Turkey and Australia connected almost a century
ago, by a war. Through the Gallipoli War both nations suffered enormous change,
one uniting around the loss and destruction while the other was falling apart,
yet to be born as a new nation from its ashes.
The Project website, http://www.descendantsproject.com.au/#!home/mainPage, reflects on the documented history of
the experiences on individuals, from the Anzac letters the soldiers wrote to
their loved ones, to exploring the reflections of a war on the generation of
the present.
Descendants is a personal
identity journey, creating a very personal insight into Anzac History,
honouring the past and celebrating our future.
Portraits of descendants
from both Turkish and Anzac sides have been created for the project. The
website notes that “descendants, selected to be a part of the project, were
asked to either wear or hold on to a representative in order to build the
bridge between today and the past. These representatives may be their
Grandfather’s uniforms (or part of the uniform), medals, watches, boots, etc.,
an object to represent their connection to the past.”
Emir
Ali Emirlioglu, great
grandson of Gunnery Officer Mustafa Niyazi is the subject of one of the
beautiful portraits. He is shown with a gas lamp which is a family heirloom.
The website quotes his voice”100 years after the Dardanelles War, in which my
great grandfather served as a gunnery officer, The Descendants Project has been
a moving project for me as it traces the friendship forged during the war
between the two nations and reveals the undiscovered documents, veterans, and
martyrs…I was proud to be part of this project”
Photo of Ali in front of his portrait by Mertim Gokalp – you can see the
portrait at http://www.descendantsproject.com.au/#!Emir-Ali-Emirlioglu-by-Mertim-Gokalp/c3nf/55587a380cf23d01649f1ae9
It was lovely to see Ali
and his family at the launch sharing thoughts and memories. I am very pleased
to work with Ali at the Australian National University where his IT skills,
passion and humour are much appreciated.
The
artist Mertim Gokalp will be returning to the UNSW Canberra Academy Library on
July 2 for an Artist’s Talk
– RSVP details can be found at: http://lib.unsw.adfa.edu.au/exhib/descendants/index.html
Roxanne Missingham
University Librarian
The Australian National
University
No comments:
Post a Comment