This unusual Exhibit, "Where is My Home?", originally commissioned by the Italian Cultural Institute of London, first presented in London, now recast in Istanbul Turkey, is part of the project "By//Pass", a plan of cultural exchanges between Italy - particularly Venice - and the Middle East.

This Exhibit is about Immigration. Immigration like "Avventura", and the terrible Personal Trauma, and the Probable Risk of Loss of Identity.

It is about the "price" of that Loss of Identity, and the "rootlessness" of people who then have the "grounding" of a "tumbleweed".

The "images" are "artistic" and "very symbolic", and therefore deep, particularly Favelli, but if and when one is able to "connect" with "the message", it is Powerful.
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Nuova Icona (Venice) and Macka Sanat Galerisi (Istanbul) present the exhibition:
Title: 'LA MIA CASA  DOVE? WHERE IS MY HOME? BENIM EVIM NERESI?

The exhibition consists of works by the artists Flavio Favelli (Italy) and Graham Fagen (Scotland).

The exhibition - firstly presented in London - is "re-cast" by the artists in Istanbul at the respected Macka Art Gallery.

'Where is my home?' explores issues of "home" or  specifically of leaving one's home: moving, being forced to leave, to sell-up, or emigrate.  The loss of a house/home, carries with it the risk of loss of identity.

A personal environment is our compass in space and time.

Romans measured the world distances as distances from Rome, i.e. from home.

When we say "China is a distant country", this "distance" is meaningless for Chinese people but a useful criterion for us.

The eventual return brings new risks: feelings of disappointment and loss of familiarity.

From this world-old story of endless migrations, losses, and eventual returns this show attempts a visual metaphor.

A translation from words to images, in the awareness that all translations are 'betrayals' - and the metaphorical translation of words in a visual form is the least faithful form of translation. Nevertheless translation from images to words and vice-versa is a perpetual need and temptation for humans.

The two artists will try again this fascinating enterprise, for the visitors of Macka Gallery. A catalogue with texts in Turkish, English and Italian accompanies the exhibition.

FLAVIO FAVELLI (Firenze, 1967) works in spaces which have lost their identity and function, like dilapidated factories, abandoned buildings and the like From found objects and waste, he is able to create poetic but  powerful installations of 'quasi-furniture' - things that seems to have a functional attitude although mysteriously maintaining an esthetic nature. For the show at the Macka Gallery, Favelli will create his enigmatic furniture-sculptures, which play with the concept of elegant housing and at the same time retain a feel of temporariness and poverty. His sculptural installations also keeps in itself, like an inner secret treasure, the non-written story of the functional object which are made of. Favelli has been selected by Francesco Bonami to show at the 50° Venice Biennale.

GRAHAM FAGEN (Glasgow, 1966) is an artist who explores with humour the context of contemporary visual culture, through the use of different media. For this exhibition Fagen  explores the contradictory legacy of the last Stuarts, the catholic royal family of Scotland.

The issues of traditional Scottish identity and national independence are cogent during the process of Devolution to regional authorities which Great Britain is undergoing. The artist work from within his own national tradition and historical problems, and carves an unlikely new identity for the Scottish national hero, the last Stuart 'Bonnie Prince Charlie'.

Who  could be more at home in Scotland that a local gentleman? But in reality the figure in question suffered the troubles of exile and death in Rome...

The "Young Pretender" - as the Prince is historically known - a flag bearer for Scottish Identity - could give a thrill of a dangerous disturbance to the soul-less and bureaucratic process of Devolution. Fagen has been recently nominated in the team of artists representing Scotland in the 50° Venice Biennale.

This exhibition, originally commissioned by the Italian Cultural Institute of London, is designed by Nuova Icona's curator Vittorio Urbani in the frame of the project "by//pass", a plan of cultural exchanges between Italy - particularly Venice - and the Middle East. (to know more on by//pass  look at www.nuovaicona.org).

In the Istanbul edition at Macka Sanat Galerisi, the show enjoys the extraordinary linked support of the Italian Cultural Institute of Istanbul, the British Council of Istanbul and Borusan Sanat Galerisi.
Artists:       Flavio Favelli, Graham Fagen
Curator:      Vittorio Urbani
Opening:    September 16, 2003 6 p.m.
Location:    Macka  Sanat Galerisi, Eytam caddesi 31/a, Macka, 80200 Istanbul
Period:       Until October 18; open Tuesday to Saturday, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Catalogue:  Texts by Mario Fortunato, Lisa Parola, Vittorio Urbani and the Artists
Support:             Macka Sanat Galerisi/Istanbul; Nuova Icona/Venice; The British
   Council/Istanbul; Italian Cultural Institute/Istanbul; Borusan Sanat Galerisi/Istanbul.
Information:  Vittorio Urbani, tel/fax 0039 041 5210101, nuovaicona@iol.it
                   Macka Sanat Galerisi tel 0090 212 2408023

Macka Sanat Galerisi - director Mrs Rabia Capa
Address:Eytam Caddesi 31/a, Macka, 80200 Istanbul, Turkey
Tel 0090 212 2408023