Neither With Nor Without You

Esra Gülmen created the text sculpture Ne Seninle, Ne Sensiz (Neither With Nor Without You) (2024) to embody the seemingly contradictory feelings of belonging and detachment to a place, or to a person. With particularly Istanbul in mind, the artist blurs the binaries of returning to a home and the desire for self-realization elsewhere. The expression settles on the harmony of both, rather than having to choose. Homesickness and independence coexist in these words, as well as a desire for togetherness and to leave. Similar to poet Cavafy’s verses about a city that never ceases to follow the departed, the moments chase us, right here and towards there. Both a declaration and introspection, the realization also signals hope, suggesting the possibility of an alternative, a third path in which having and letting go blend.

Text: Osmancan Yerebakan

Ne Seninle Ne Sensiz (Neither With Nor Without You), 2024
Mirror polished stainless steel, aluminium
330 x 475 x 70 cm
Edition of 2