Breaking Through a Dam, 2026
Sinkhole Syntax exhibited at SALT Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey
“Breaking Through a Dam” is curated by Gülce Özkara.
“The exhibition centers on the relationship between landscape, memory, and archives in the formation of this shared ground: Dams, canals, oil wells, geothermal plants, surveillance systems, and cell towers not only transform the surrounding terrain; they also reshape the cultural and social bonds forged around them. Yet collective memory does not cease to exist; rather, it becomes inscribed onto the landscape. Rivers, wetlands, streets, and coffeehouses each serve as an archive that holds this memory.
Taking its title from human rights lawyer Noura Erakat’s statement, “We are breaking through a dam—keep pushing,” the exhibition situates infrastructures not only as instruments of control but also as metaphors for what seeps through and resists. Memory seeps into the present through cracks, like a seemingly tranquil river that overflows without warning. Even as the landscape foregrounds ownership, domination, and resource extraction, it also harbors practices of remembrance, togetherness, and ‘being‑with‑place.’”—excerpted from the exhibition text.
