Contemporary art practices in the context of city and memory relations: Documenting Istanbul

This research aims to understand the rapid transformation of the physical environment of one's daily life in Istanbul, urban memory and the effects of such transformation on the individuals who live in the city. Additionally, it focuses on current art practices in city-memory relations; places of memory and art practices as a method of documentation of the city. This research approaches contemporary art practices with alternative and various urban memory options while looking for answers in the social, cultural and urban memory layers of the city to the question of what happens to a city and its people in an environment where the past can not accumulate. Today city, namely Istanbul, is losing its "aging" face with the help of "creative destruction" and replacing it with a newer one that is more profitable. Throughout the study process of spatial production, that is perceived, designed and experienced in entire city, is addressed with its ties to the society. The change of social, cultural and spatial daily life practices is traced through contemporary art practices. This study questions the role of art in city-memory relations while approaching current art practices as a recording tool of urban "moments" and memoirs and an experience that triggers and documents memory.