Bluish 2009

Editor: This installation, "Bluish," created by Ayse Erkmen in 2009, transforms an entire space with what appears to be a suspended pool of blue. The sheer scale and the immersive nature of the color are immediately striking. How should we interpret this work? Curator: The blueness here is more than mere color; it's a signifier, loaded with cultural and psychological weight. Water, of course, is central: it is life, purification, the subconscious. What feeling does the work evoke in you? Editor: A sense of being underwater, almost dreamlike. There’s a feeling of disorientation, but also of calm. Curator: Erkmen is using recognizable symbolic elements in unusual configurations. Do you get the impression of being submerged, as in a dream state? It makes the familiar strange, questioning our orientation, our perception of space. The geometry offers a sense of controlled architecture versus fluid experience of submersion. Editor: Definitely. The geometric shape clashes a little with the organic feel of water. Is that intentional? Curator: I would argue that it’s deliberate, intended to create cognitive dissonance. The rigidity of the form juxtaposed with the fluidity of water invites the viewer to consider our desire to control natural forces. Think of swimming pools—constructed environments to mimic and tame bodies of water. This geometric form invites us to ask about containment and limit, not only of space but of the mind. Editor: That tension between the geometric and the fluid definitely enriches the viewing experience. I didn't initially pick up on those themes of control and containment. Curator: Exactly! By layering these symbolic systems, Erkmen creates an experience where cultural memory meets our personal subconscious. Each of us brings our own associations to this “pool,” shaping its significance. Hopefully it encourages visitors to delve deeper into their own internal associations with this striking piece!