Taşlıca Table

Taşlıca Village is a special region where the rural lifestyle dating back to the 6th century BC has been observed uninterruptedly in the light of archaeological data. The region, where the agricultural terraces and agricultural practices of the ancient period continue today, also includes Greek villages such as Phoinikidu (Fenaket), Karamaka (Aziziye), Alexi, Usta and Saranda (Söğüt), which were inhabited until the 1923 exchange. After the Greek community of the region moved to Simi and Rhodos, all the memory of the rural culture continues in Taşlıca Village. The migration of the young population to the cities with the economic crisis negatively affects the continuity of rural life. Public spaces, which begin to lose their function with the decrease in population, interrupt the transmission of common memory.

Taşlıca Table is a series of art and research events that aims to bring together art and archaeology dialogue locally. It is carried out in cooperation with the Phoenix Archaeological Project (PAP), which continues its work in Taşlıca village of Marmaris district. It presents all data from archaeological research as source material for artistic works and examines the impact of research and knowledge production on contemporary art practice. While providing a platform for community participation and interaction, it aims to gather local people, artists, and scientists around a table.

Local knowledge in the region is very valuable; history and assets of the ancient settlement, urban memory, public research, and production on topics such as discourses, narratives, and oral history. In this context, the project includes the family memories of the local people and the collective cultural history of the region; playgrounds, and walking paths. It will be valued with its routes, meeting places, botanical assets, and food culture discoveries. Taşlıca Table is a place open to discussion, sharing, and collective production. Continuing the project together with the local people is one of the top priorities of the program. The aim of the practice is to create a community dynamic in the village.