Bringing together the works of Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye, Behçet Safa, Bilge Friedlaender, Canan Tolon, Füsun Onur, Gökçen Dilek Acay, Murat Morova and Serdar Arat, The Seventh Valley will take place between June 18 and August 28, 2021. Taking its inspiration from the seven valleys visited by the birds seeking for the legendary bird, known as Simurgh in Persian Mythology, the group exhibition invites us to think about what we encountered, what we risked and what we faced during our inner journeys in the current period.
“How do we achieve wisdom?” Perhaps this is one of the fundamental questions behind the emergence of the Simurgh legend. According to the myth, once all the birds find a feather from the wing of this bird of wisdom, they decide to ask for its help for all the things have gone wrong. Yet, they have to cross seven bottomless valleys to reach Simurgh. Over time, those who are dazzled by beauty, those who forget what they are looking for because of ignorance, those who lose hope, or become lonely and selfish, and lastly, those who are deceived by rumors and give up their way at the sixth valley, are all left behind. In the Seventh Valley, which is also called The Valley of Me, each bird begins to speak with a single voice, to struggle with each other and to compete for leadership by suggesting something different. This valley is difficult to cross; only thirty birds can make it to the Mount Kaf. Here, they realize that Simurgh actually means “thirty birds”. In fact, they themselves are what they are looking for; the path to wisdom is essentially the journey they make to themselves.
In a time in between, as we strive to continue our fight against uncertainties without losing our hope, we face another challenge every day just like in these seven difficult valleys. Art, on the other hand, continues to pave our way by accompanying us, allowing us to be united, to enjoy and to be inspired, to question, and to build a universe of knowledge within itself. While Simurgh constantly witnesses the destruction and rebuilding of worlds, the threshold we stand resembles The Seventh Valley. Before starting a new era at Galeri Nev İstanbul, the exhibition reminds us the hope that we will build together by embodying themes such as circularity, rituals, mythology, nature-human relations and formal pursuits.
