Turkish pavilion to present ‘Ghost Stories’

ISTANBUL

Curated by Sevince Bayrak and Oral Göktaş, “Ghost Stories: The Carrier Bag Theory of Architecture” will be presented at the Türkiye Pavilion at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia from May 20 to Nov. 26.

“Ghost Stories: The Carrier Bag Theory of Architecture” questions the accepted perceptions of and approaches to buildings to reveal more hopeful proposals for the future.

Elizabeth Fisher’s “Carrier Bag Theory of Evolution” argues that, rather than hunting tools, the first cultural device used by humans was probably a carrier bag, which allowed them to transport the vegetables they gathered. Ursula K. Le Guin’s 1986 essay, “The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction,” expanded this idea, moving away from the notion of the weapon-wielding hero.

Based on this, the exhibition suggests listening to and understanding the stories of abandoned buildings, rather than focusing on more heroic, successful examples.

The adaption of carrier bag theories, from evolution to architecture, brings a radical change to the images we have inherited, whether through the paintings on the walls of prehistoric caves, in stories, or in the modern cityscape. When these images start to change, this requires a shift in our way of doing things. Thus, the shift from focusing on the image of a weapon to that of a carrier bag eventually transforms the whole scene from a heroic story of destruction to a collaborative, unfamiliar life story.

The research for the exhibition included an open call, launched in December 2022, aimed at compiling recent documentation of unused buildings across Türkiye. Considering these buildings as ‘the laboratory of the future’, the exhibition introduces novel tools and methods to transform rather than demolish existing structures, based on collective dreams and discussions.

Following the open call, an archive comprising images of hundreds of residences, building complexes and abandoned production sites, partially or completely empty skyscrapers, hotels, schools, hospitals, restaurants and recreational facilities was created thanks to the responses of contributors from all over Türkiye.

One of the focal points of the exhibition – how to reinforce and reuse existing building stock – becomes even more urgent after the devastating earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, which affected 13.5 million people, leaving thousands in need of temporary housing.

As its title, the exhibition will have a dual setup. While Ghost Stories shows examples of unused buildings in Türkiye with various functions in “The Cloud,” the Carrier Bag Theory of Architecture is positioned as a colorful “Workbench” that aims to transform this real but idle painting into a storehouse of hope for the future of cities.

A manifesto for “The Carrier Bag Theory of Architecture,” which will be displayed in the workbench area, plans to initiate discussions on how existing structures can be transformed under 15 different titles.

The Manifesto titles explored at 15 tables in the workbench area are Story, Theory, Addiction, Ghosts, Entropy, Expiry Date, Why Demolish?, CSI, Concrescere, Repair Shop, Venice Charter – Revisited, Learning From, Test Drive, Transformers, The Pool.

In addition to the exhibition, the curators are preparing a book that sheds light on the research process and findings of the exhibition and aims to involve architects and architecture students in the discussions it raises. Written by Sevince Bayrak and designed by Esen Karol, the book will be available in English and co-published by Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) and ListLab.