Çigdem Çaglayan appointed curational advisor
April 2021
The board of Debsaysyes is proud to announce that Berlin based art historian and curator Çigdem Çaglayan (Istanbul, Turkey, 1984) has accepted the role as curational advisor for Debsaysyes. In this new role she will advise the board as to the overall quality of the art presented with us and the joining of new artists. In doing so we take an important step in the constant strive for artistic quality. Her appointment is effective as of immediately.
Why a curational advisor?
From the beginning our slogan has been Big artists, Small works. One of the questions that raises is when an artist is big. Though the answers can be many and the discussions on the topic long and interesting, for us Big has always been about quality. Within the board we took it upon ourselves to form an opinion on the joining artists based on the works presented, the oeuvre of an artist, the resume and the calling of the artist within the group of already participating artists and in the art world. Now we are moving on thin ice. However carefull we operated, it was still a limited group of people that said yes or no to artists and their art. That is why we broadened our horizon and invited independent external curators for our exhibitions. That proved to be so successful that we wanted this kind of curational advice on a more structural basis. And so the new role as curational advisor to the board was born.
Why Çigdem Çaglayan?
We had the pleasure to work with Cigdem, when she took on the role of curator for our Berlin exhibition Zwischenräume, in rosalux, Berlin. With her keen and critical eye on modern art combined with her experience on big art events like the Istanbul Bienal we found in her the perfect curator for this big event with 27 artists from six different countries. She brought together the art in a way that seemingly effortless turned the exhibition into a high quality group exhibition that could fit the best musea. The theme of selfchosen solitude she chose end of 2019 became extremely relevant during the Covid pandemic, making the exhibition even more urgent. We are very happy that she accepted the role of curational advisor to the board. We are sure that with her help the overall quality and relevance of the art presented by our foundation will grow to next level as will our position in the national and international art scene.
Çigdem Çaglayan on her new role
“I am proud to be part of Debsaysyes´ inspiring team. In 2020, my experience as a guest curator for Zwischenräume in Berlin has offered me a unique experience to get to know a wide range of artists and artworks from the foundations rich portfolio.
In my new role as a Curatorial Advisor, I am looking forward to contribute more to Debsaysyes and assist to uplift the foundations role in the international art scene.
Since it is inception, Debsaysyes values diversity and collaboration. It has aligned itself with the current tendencies in international contemporary art and has actively developed on a collaborative level with artists. The foundation takes a multi-disciplinary approach, bridging between otherwise separated spheres in a both creative and practical way. Debsaysyes is not only a non-profit organization, but also a dynamic, lively platform where artists, art professionals and art lovers can get together for exchanging their ideas. As a Curatorial Advisor, I am looking forward to evaluate, assess and analyze new artworks and develop a diverse and coherent portfolio in collaboration with the board of Debsaysyes.”
