About

History

Art Space Project is a guerrilla exhibition concept that started on the road and will always continue on the road. The project travels from city to city and invites everyone who passes by to draw, dance, sing, music. The project exhibits pictures drawn in previous cities and acquires new pictures in each city it goes to; In this respect, it is an interactive exhibition and memory archive that is constantly growing.

The Art Space Project was established by Diren Demir for the first time on their trip on 20 September 2016 in the village of Arsaköy (Çukurardıç) in Fethiye. Since the first art field established in 2016; many art spaces was created in many parts of the world.

The main mission of the Art Space Project is the accessibility of art. On this road, the exhibition space is chosen especially as rural “village” regions where the access of art is limited or “streets” where everyone can interact in their daily routine.

Art Space Project eliminates all kinds of value hierarchy of art production and set out with the belief that “everyone has an artist inside”. Diren Demir has named this concept, which the Art Space Project can go beyond the uniform corporate galleries in terms of mission and vision, as “guerrilla curatorship“.

This gallery and exhibition concept created and maintained by Art Space Project is a research area that can provide solutions for the communication between the audience and the artworks, the presentation possibilities of the art.

A gallery on the move predicts a future that can reveal the full potential of gallery / exhibition / art institution formations by being inspired and fuelled by the mobility of artists.

Art Space Project showcase the memory archives obtained from each city in different places, enabling different people who have never seen and know each other to have a connection, communicate without words and create a collective network. Art Space Project is non-profit and all the works it owns are archived online without to be selled, and it continues to travel around the world physically.

Mission

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Diren Demir

Interdisciplinary Artist & Independent Curator

Diren Demir (Istanbul, 1997) is a Berlin-based interdisciplinary artist and independent curator. Demir’s work seeks transformative solutions to the challenges posed by patriarchal and authoritarian regimes. Demir’s installations and performances frequently deal with revelation and the body-power relationship as a site of conflict. Demir focuses on transformational activism, participatory practices and developing new models of resistance in their artworks. Demir’s work includes queer themes, using their own body to challenge stereotypical gender positions and de-gender memories of place and the city by referring to LGBTIQ+ history in their articles, seminars and workshops. In 2019, their compilation titled “A Night of June: A Biographical Analysis of the Stonewall Revolution” was published. In August 2022, their new poetry and illustration book “Hail to the Fallen” took its place in bookstores. Demir has curated more than 30 guerrilla exhibitions on streets and rural areas, putting the accessibility of art at the forefront, as well as in places such as Akbank Art and Gazhane Museum. Their works and projects were exhibited in many different countries such as Estonia, Turkey, Serbia, Netherlands, Germany, India…

About Me

Who initiated the Art Space Project?

Diren Demir founded the Art Space Project on September 20, 2016, during a visit to the village of Çukurardıç in Fethiye. Since its inception, the project has set up lots of art spaces worldwide.
What does "guerrilla curatorship" mean?

"Guerrilla curatorship" is a concept introduced by Diren Demir, describing the Art Space Project's unconventional approach to curating exhibitions. Unlike traditional galleries, the project focuses on accessibility, mobility and interactivity, emphasizing that everyone can be an artist.
Is the Art Space Project a profit-oriented initiative?

No, the Art Space Project operates as a non-profit endeavor. All collected artworks are archived online and are not sold. The project continues its global journey, bringing art to new audiences and expanding its interactive memory archive.
Is it possible to view the Art Space Project's artworks online?

Yes, all the artworks gathered by the Art Space Project are available online in an archive. You can explore the collection and see the diverse artistic expressions from different parts of the world.
Are the Art Space Project Gatherings paid events?

No! All Art Space Project Gatherings are completely free, no matter where they are held. You don’t need to be a Member or make a donation to join. Just bring your joy and leave a trace of your art with us!
What are the future plans for the Art Space Project?

The project aims to continue traveling globally, expanding its interactive memory archive, and promoting the accessibility of art by inviting other artists and curators to make art spaces on their routes / homes.
What is the purpose of the Art Space Project?

The Art Space Project aims to make art accessible to everyone by traveling from city to city, encouraging people to participate in artistic activities like drawing, dancing, singing, and music-making. It displays artworks from previous cities and gathers new creations in each location, forming an interactive and ever-expanding exhibition and memory archive.
How does the project ensure its sustainability?

Through meticulous documentation and online archiving, the project preserves the essence of each location it visits and shares it with a global audience. All the materials that are used in the Art Spaces are eco-friendly.