Abbarakadabra - Mardin Biennial 2010. Zinciriye Medrese, Mardin, Turkey.
For the Mardin Biennial Bartle once again turned his obsessive curiosity towards the social and historical, and towards miniaturisation. Through a series of beautifully crafted scale model chairs, that catalogue the history and civilizations of the Mardin Region (from the Romans to the Modern Republic), Bartle has created a circular forum and a space for dialogue that unites epochs. Bartle attended a short residency at a family carpentry shop in Mardin, working alongside the local craftsmen, to make a platform for this work using recycled material.
Exhibited in an annex overlooking the prayer room of the famous Zinciriye Madrasah (Islamic religious school), Bartle’s work sat between the gaze of its mostly western and touristic audience and the sound of the Imams in their daily prayer. A unifying element across faith, history, and culture, served as a hopeful commentary on the tolerance and unity of the many different peoples within the Mardin region.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
© Richard Bartle, all rights reserved.