About | Hakkında
| English
Betül Aksu explores the ways disciplinary, territorial and systemic boundaries manifest in everyday life through installation, performance, text and printmaking. Her work questions the notion of categorisation that is constantly redefined by the status quo. She is interested in ongoing practices and collaborative modes of working that initiate dialogues about precarious living and working conditions in the art worlds.
She graduated from the Department of Linguistics at Hacettepe University Faculty of Letters in 2013. In 2014, she received her master’s degree in Cognitive Science at University of Trento Center for Mind/Brain Sciences. In 2015, she received her second master’s degree in Language Science and Technology at Saarland University Faculty of Philosophy. Between 2015-2020, she studied for a PhD in Media and Arts Technology at Queen Mary University of London at the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science and taught at the same university.
In 2023 Betül Aksu founded sezon, an independent art space based in Izmir, Turkey set out to explore the politics and poetics of change. She participated in the Istanbul Biennial Production and Research Programme (2022), School of Commons Research Residency at Zurich University of the Arts (2021-2022), and British Council Altcity Istanbul art residency (2017).
Her works have been exhibited in Ankara, Berlin, Cork, Cornwall, Hamburg, İstanbul, İzmir, Leicester, London, Linz, Zurich and on the internet.
Betül Aksu explores the ways disciplinary, territorial and systemic boundaries manifest in everyday life through installation, performance, text and printmaking. Her work questions the notion of categorisation that is constantly redefined by the status quo. She is interested in ongoing practices and collaborative modes of working that initiate dialogues about precarious living and working conditions in the art worlds.
She graduated from the Department of Linguistics at Hacettepe University Faculty of Letters in 2013. In 2014, she received her master’s degree in Cognitive Science at University of Trento Center for Mind/Brain Sciences. In 2015, she received her second master’s degree in Language Science and Technology at Saarland University Faculty of Philosophy. Between 2015-2020, she studied for a PhD in Media and Arts Technology at Queen Mary University of London at the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science and taught at the same university.
In 2023 Betül Aksu founded sezon, an independent art space based in Izmir, Turkey set out to explore the politics and poetics of change. She participated in the Istanbul Biennial Production and Research Programme (2022), School of Commons Research Residency at Zurich University of the Arts (2021-2022), and British Council Altcity Istanbul art residency (2017).
Her works have been exhibited in Ankara, Berlin, Cork, Cornwall, Hamburg, İstanbul, İzmir, Leicester, London, Linz, Zurich and on the internet.
| Türkçe
Betül Aksu enstalasyon, performans, metin ve baskı resim aracılığıyla disipliner, bölgesel ve sistemik sınırların günlük yaşamda nasıl ortaya çıktığıyla ilgilenir. Çalışmaları statükonun sürekli olarak yeniden tanımladığı kategorizasyon kavramını sorgular. Sanat dünyalarındaki güvencesiz yaşam ve çalışma koşulları hakkında diyaloglar başlatan süregelen pratikler ve işbirlikçi çalışma biçimleri ile ilgilenir.
2013 yılında Hacettepe Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dilbilim Bölümü’nden mezun oldu. 2014 yılında Trento Üniversitesi Zihin/Beyin Bilimleri Merkezi Bilişsel Bilimler Bölümü’nden yüksek lisans derecesini aldı. 2015 yılında Saarland Üniversitesi Felsefe Fakültesi Dil Bilimi ve Teknolojisi Bölümü’nden ikinci yüksek lisans derecesini aldı. 2015-2020 yılları arasında Queen Mary Londra Üniversitesi Elektronik Mühendisliği ve Bilgisayar Bilimleri Fakültesi Medya ve Sanat Teknolojileri Bölümü’nde doktora eğitimi aldı ve aynı üniversitede dersler verdi.
Betül Aksu 2023 yılında İzmir merkezli, değişimin politikasını ve şiirselliğini keşfetmek üzere yola çıkan bağımsız sanat alanı sezon’u kurdu. İstanbul Bienali Çalışma ve Araştırma Programı (2022), Zürih Sanat Üniversitesi School of Commons araştırma programı (2021-2022) ve British Council Altcity Istanbul sanatçı programına (2017) katıldı.
İşleri Ankara’da, Berlin’de, Cork’ta, Cornwall’da, Hamburg’da, İstanbul’da, İzmir’de, Leicester’da, Londra’da, Linz’de, Zürih’te ve internette sergilendi.
Betül Aksu enstalasyon, performans, metin ve baskı resim aracılığıyla disipliner, bölgesel ve sistemik sınırların günlük yaşamda nasıl ortaya çıktığıyla ilgilenir. Çalışmaları statükonun sürekli olarak yeniden tanımladığı kategorizasyon kavramını sorgular. Sanat dünyalarındaki güvencesiz yaşam ve çalışma koşulları hakkında diyaloglar başlatan süregelen pratikler ve işbirlikçi çalışma biçimleri ile ilgilenir.
2013 yılında Hacettepe Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dilbilim Bölümü’nden mezun oldu. 2014 yılında Trento Üniversitesi Zihin/Beyin Bilimleri Merkezi Bilişsel Bilimler Bölümü’nden yüksek lisans derecesini aldı. 2015 yılında Saarland Üniversitesi Felsefe Fakültesi Dil Bilimi ve Teknolojisi Bölümü’nden ikinci yüksek lisans derecesini aldı. 2015-2020 yılları arasında Queen Mary Londra Üniversitesi Elektronik Mühendisliği ve Bilgisayar Bilimleri Fakültesi Medya ve Sanat Teknolojileri Bölümü’nde doktora eğitimi aldı ve aynı üniversitede dersler verdi.
Betül Aksu 2023 yılında İzmir merkezli, değişimin politikasını ve şiirselliğini keşfetmek üzere yola çıkan bağımsız sanat alanı sezon’u kurdu. İstanbul Bienali Çalışma ve Araştırma Programı (2022), Zürih Sanat Üniversitesi School of Commons araştırma programı (2021-2022) ve British Council Altcity Istanbul sanatçı programına (2017) katıldı.
İşleri Ankara’da, Berlin’de, Cork’ta, Cornwall’da, Hamburg’da, İstanbul’da, İzmir’de, Leicester’da, Londra’da, Linz’de, Zürih’te ve internette sergilendi.
Contact | İletişim
betulaksu[at]protonmail.com
instagram.com/betulaksu
instagram.com/betulaksu
Education
2015-2020
Queen Mary University of London, PhD in Media and Arts Technology (not completed)
2014-2015
Saarland University, Master of Science in Language Science and Technology
2013-2014
University of Trento, Master of Science in Cognitive Science
2009-2013
Hacettepe University, Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in English Linguistics
Fellowships & Residencies
2023-2024
BAK Fellowship for Situated Practice, BAK basis voor actuele kunst, Utrecht & Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV)
2022
The Istanbul Biennial Production and Research Programme, Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV)
2021-2022
School of Commons READ Fellowship, Zürich University of the Arts
2017
AltCity Istanbul Digital Arts Residency, British Council & Zorlu PSM
Group Exhibitions
2023
Sidestep/reproduced//insolently, 5533, İstanbul *upcoming
öncesi, sezon, İzmir
öncesi, sezon, İzmir
2022
If It Is A Garden That Has Become A Wilderness, School of Commons, Zürich
Hikayeler yürür, Kasa Gallery, curated by Emre Akaltın, Istanbul
This is not a chance encounter, Journeys Festival International, Leicester
Young Fresh Different 11, Zilberman Gallery, Istanbul
Kronos Orada Değildi, altatölye, curated by İrem Hasçiftçi Kurt, Ankara
Coulisse, Mixer, curated by Eda Öztürk, Istanbul
Hikayeler yürür, Kasa Gallery, curated by Emre Akaltın, Istanbul
This is not a chance encounter, Journeys Festival International, Leicester
Young Fresh Different 11, Zilberman Gallery, Istanbul
Kronos Orada Değildi, altatölye, curated by İrem Hasçiftçi Kurt, Ankara
Coulisse, Mixer, curated by Eda Öztürk, Istanbul
2021
Libertikons, STAMP Altonale, Hamburg
Nothing’s gonna change my world?, gr-und, Berlin
In Your Hands, Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall
Kula, Ecumene Project (online)
Nothing’s gonna change my world?, gr-und, Berlin
In Your Hands, Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall
Kula, Ecumene Project (online)
2020
Freedom of Movement?, Journeys Festival International (online)
The Garden of Forking Paths, Ars Electronica (online)
Decorating Dissidence: Take Dada Seriously? (It’s Worth It?), Guest Projects London (online)
Easy speaking & effortless listening, the Royal Institution of Great Britain, London
The Garden of Forking Paths, Ars Electronica (online)
Decorating Dissidence: Take Dada Seriously? (It’s Worth It?), Guest Projects London (online)
Easy speaking & effortless listening, the Royal Institution of Great Britain, London
2019
Weave It!, Stour Space, London
Plugin, Contemporary Istanbul, Istanbul
Peripheries, The Glucksman Gallery, Cork
bang.Prix, Studio-X Istanbul, Istanbul
M.I.I Manifold, TTC Architecture & Design, London
Plugin, Contemporary Istanbul, Istanbul
Peripheries, The Glucksman Gallery, Cork
bang.Prix, Studio-X Istanbul, Istanbul
M.I.I Manifold, TTC Architecture & Design, London
2017
2016
2015
Performances
2022
Bureau of Commons - London entry, Victoria Park, London
Bureau of Commons - Venice entry, Venice, Arsenale & Giardini
officialese: from Taksim Gezi Park to Tünel and back, School of Commons, Istanbul
Bureau of Commons - Venice entry, Venice, Arsenale & Giardini
officialese: from Taksim Gezi Park to Tünel and back, School of Commons, Istanbul
2021
Bureau of Commons - Zürich entry, with the School of Commons, Zürich
2017
Here Eyes Under The Bridge, with Tara Fatehi Irani, LADA, London
Curatorial
2023
öncesi, sezon, İzmir
2022
This is not a chance encounter, Journeys Festival International, Leicester
Publications
This is not a chance encounter (2022) exhibition booklet ︎︎︎ linkAdım Adım Büyücü ve Bahçe, manifold (2022) ︎︎︎link
Merits of Eligibility: rethinking criteria in art open calls, in School of Commons Issues (2021) ︎︎︎ link
Reason: Other personal, in Researching the Researcher, published by the School of Commons (2021) ︎︎︎ link
Kulaktan kulaga, chinese whispers, or arabic telephone in O’Sullivan, J. [Chair] (2019) Electronic Literature Organization Conference & Media Arts Festival (ELO2019), Programme and Book of Abstracts, University College Cork, Ireland, 15 -17 July ︎︎︎ link
Exploring Audience Reading Behaviour through Interactive Public Displays, the Proceedings of 32nd BCS Human Computer Interaction Conference, Belfast, UK (2018) ︎︎︎ link
Londra Tasarım Festivali V&A İzlenimleri, Artful Living (2017) ︎︎︎ link