HYDROTHERAPY | IO AND BOSPHORUS
artist residency 2-15 October 2023
performance together with Miray Eslek
PASAJ @Barinhan
Boyaci Atrnet Sokak 4 Binbirdirek Mahallesi
Çemberlitaş Istanbul, TR
Project supported by
Adam Mickiewicz Institute
Singing Miray Eslek
As part of the artistic residency entitled "Hydrotherapy," I delved into practices associated with water therapies. The project placed a strong emphasis on exploring various facets related to water, spanning from mythical and ritualistic purifications to the hygienic and therapeutic dimensions of aquatic practices. The primary goal of this hydrotherapy initiative was not solely to evoke traditions linked to the medicinal use of water but also to foster deeper and more conscious relationships with the natural environment. Concerning water's influence on our well-being and our capacity to impact the state of water, I proposed a therapeutic approach that operates bidirectionally. Perhaps the process of recovering the water may also contribute to the collective contentment of all living beings.
The performance titled "Hydrotherapy" aimed to establish a physical connection with the healing waters of the Bosporus. The immediate inspiration for this performance was the myth of Io, a heifer pursued by a gadfly, who found solace by immersing herself in the waters of the Bosporus. Her connection with the water not only freed her from the parasitic insect but also aided her return to human form. The legendary transformation of Io into a white heifer is very symbolic and can also serve as a pretext for contemplating alternative theories of evolution. Is it possible that our ancestors were not hunters but rather mammals inhabiting coastal waters, such as sea cows? Figure of the cow is strongly associated with the earth, and also represents a majestic mountain, a glacier that nourishes the earth with life-giving fluids. Perhaps through this story, we will begin to perceive ourselves as semi-aquatic beings. After all, all life begins with water.
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