Encounters 1988

Ayse Erkmen created "Encounters" using everyday architectural materials: glass, window frames, and applied graphics. The work is a playful manipulation of the grid, an intrinsically modern form. The simple act of placing numbers on the windows transforms a functional element into a canvas for artistic expression. It invites us to reconsider the building's architecture not just as shelter, but as a site for encounters with art. Erkmen’s work highlights a key issue: the relationship between the art object and the space in which it resides. By intervening directly in the architecture, she blurs the line between what is art and what is not. This approach, rooted in an appreciation for the built environment, challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and design, inviting us to appreciate the artistic potential of the everyday.