an ode to the letter ü

Photo credit: Zeynep Fırat

Betül Aksuan ode to the letter ü
2023
installation, 121x245 cm
thermal print on label, envelope, magnet

an ode to the letter ü reflects on the subtle exclusions embedded in everyday systems that fail to accommodate linguistic and cultural difference. Drawing from her experience after relocating to London, Betül Aksu explores the recurring misrepresentation of the letter “ü” in her first name. In postal mail, workplace correspondence, and online forms, the character was regularly distorted or removed entirely. What may appear as small technical errors reveals a broader issue of systemic incompatibility, rooted in default digital infrastructures that do not support extended Latin characters.

The installation features recreated envelopes, based on actual mail and digital interactions, that serve as visual records of these repeated errors. By reproducing these fragments, Betül draws attention to the quiet persistence of exclusion within systems we rely on daily. an ode to the letter ü questions the idea that such systems are neutral, and invites reflection on how they might be expanded to more fully recognize and support linguistic diversity.

Exhibition2023 Sidestep/reproduced//insolently, curated by Fırat Yusuf Yılmaz, 5533, Istanbul