Ceylan Öztrük at Cabaret Voltaire

Exhibition Title: "Ceylan Öztrük at Cabaret Voltaire"

Subtitle: "Solo show «Pink Tabula Rasa»"

"Poetry for Revolutions" is an exhibition that takes place both in Zurich (Cabaret Voltaire) and in Rome (Istituto Svizzero). In Zurich, the project includes a group exhibition of fifteen manifestos, which can be seen either in the Historical Hall (upper floor) and are also available in the Vaulted Cellar as black-and-white copied handouts. Ceylan Öztrük accompanies “Poetry for Revolutions” with the solo exhibition “Pink Tabula Rasa” in the Vaulted Cellar.

To some ears, “Poetry for Revolutions” may sound anachronistic, just as manifestos (and monuments) seem to be out of date. The artistic manifesto has been a genre of its own at least since the avant-garde of Futurism and Dada: as a founding document, demand, provocation or accuser, the manifesto expresses frustration with “old orders”, whether in terms of the confined concept of art, empty political phrases, or the pending social revolution.

The collaboration between the Cabaret Voltaire and the Istituto Svizzero was driven by ongoing exchanges between curators, questioning the role of art in expressing political views and shaping identities. The exhibition title plays with a reference to Karl Marx, pluralizing “revolutions” and emphasizing the diversity of contributions. Overlapping exhibitions in Zurich and Rome allow for different interpretations based on context and architecture.

Ceylan Öztrük's solo exhibition “Pink Tabula Rasa” in the Vaulted Cellar features sculptures that choreograph paper manifestos from “Poetry for Revolutions”, exploring alternative ways of information circulation and medium stability. The paper sculptures titled Phantasm Manifesto challenge traditional sculptural elements and invite viewers to question established norms and representations.

The exhibition at Cabaret Voltaire and Istituto Svizzero reflects on historical avant-garde movements like Dada and Futurism, connecting past debates to contemporary artistic practices. The manifestos and proposals from fifteen artists address global crises, ideologies, and desires in dystopian times, offering diverse perspectives on art, politics, and society.