Under the scope of the European Solidarity Corps and BDK Bodrum Youth, a team of international volunteers came together for a Land Art project to commemorate the damages of the fire and celebrate the unity and solidarity of the community. The title of the event is named “Rising from the Ashes” because just like when a phoenix is reborn after it was burnt, life is finding its way back to the destroyed areas, bringing new hope and beauty to the forests and to the life of the locals.
The goal of the exhibition is to raise awareness about the wildfires, but it’s focus is not on the destruction, but rather on the concepts of unity, rebirth and solidarity. By this “Rising from the Ashes” combines the environmental and social aspects of the wildfires and highlights the local communities’ approach towards the tragic events of the last months: the tragedy happened, but we need to focus on our future and the opportunities it can bring us.
House of Trash
The House of Trash is a parallel project to the land art exhibition, in which an old, abandoned house was transformed into an artistic element of the venue. The trash that was collected from the bay was used to decorate the windows and the exterior of the building, such as curtains made from cigarette buds.
The House of Trash provides a contrast between the natural materials and settings of the other pieces of the exhibition and by this highlights and questions the artificial nature of our modern society that cannot be separated from our living spaces.
Portal
Located next to the House of Trash, the Portal provides a transition from the concrete building covered in the trash into the blooming nature of the bay, where the rest of the exhibition takes place. With its lush atmosphere, turtles, and leaf carpet, the Portal greatly highlights the contrast between the characteristics of the built human environment and natural green areas. It serves as a gate towards the art that could be created from nature, leaving behind the sad reality of human existence.
Mother Nature
Mother Nature (sometimes known as Mother Earth or the Earth Mother) is a personification of nature that focuses on the life-giving and nurturing aspects of nature by embodying it, in the form of being inclusive. From ancient mythologies to recent religions, Mother Nature is eternally the point of origin representing the rebirth of the environment. She is the source of creation. In ancient times, goddesses were the symbol of fertility, hospitality and life saver.
Burning Concert “Unity”
The magnificent scene serving as a setting for the piano concert carries the name Unity. Constructed from massive burned branches resembling flames and covered by fallen orange leaves, the installation conveys a sense of commemoration and represents the importance of transformation in the place of oblivion. It brings attention to the vulnerable nature of such concepts as art, environment or human life, that can be easily destroyed by the raging fire. The two half circles almost connected emphasise the eternal connection between humanity and nature, our co-dependence and the importance of solidarity in our communities.
Phoenix
One of the main pieces that is already visible from the sea is the Phoenix. Closely related to the central message of the exhibition, it symbolizes the rebirth of nature as well as the community destroyed by the fires. Built on the promise of new beginnings, the Phoenix is standing tall at the beginning of the rock path leading to an area covered with the burned trees, but if you look closely you can already find new life around it in the form of tiny budding flowers and plants. The only transportable piece of the exhibition, made onto a metal canvas, will be displayed in Bodrum after the exhibition.