Join us for a late-summer conversation exploring the stories, science and symbolism of water; from the ancient Menderes River in Turkey to the wild North Sea coast of Scarborough.
Turkish artists Aşkın Ercan and Gökçe Suvari, currently on artists’ exchange in Scarborough, are hosted in-conversation by Invisible Dust’s director Alice Sharp. Together they will delve into the histories of Ephesus, the environmental crises facing rivers and coastlines today, and how art can help us imagine more resilient futures.
Part of ‘Forecast Türkiye: Memory of Water / Suyun Belleği’, a programme by Invisible Dust and Teos Culture and Art Association, Izmir, bringing together Turkish and UK artists and scientists to draw inspiration from the beautiful wildlife of Selçuk, the Scarborough coastline, and the Derwent River running through the North York Moors.
Supported by the British Council’s Creative Collaborations Grant Programme. In partnership with the Municipality of Selçuk, Çamtepe Ecological Life Center, the Old Parcels Office, and scientists from Hull and Istanbul Universities.
Image courtesy Aşkın Ercan
About the artists
Aşkın Ercan is an artist and academic, exploring how urban life, water memory, and daily practices shape cultural dynamics. Recently, her work has focused on making visible the often unseen violence against water through multiple disciplines. She draws on oral history, local wisdom, and daily life practices. Her practice includes visual, auditory, and interactive works, such as video art, sound projects, and game-performance workshops, inviting shared reflection and dialogue.
In recent years, she has participated in projects such as the Istanbul Biennial’s Work and Research Program (ÇAP) and the Gate 27 Artist-in-Residence Program. She is a member of the research and art initiative “Among the Ruins,” which unites researchers, artists, and academics from different disciplines and practices. She is currently based at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris.
Gökçe Süvari is an artist and cultural manager who completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Fine Arts. Since 2005, she has worked in cultural planning and project management at various art centers and associations in Izmir and Istanbul. Her practice engages with urban memory, focusing on how memory is transmitted across places, communities, and generations. She has participated in international artist-in-residence programs at IAAB Basel, La Friche and Sextant et Plus in Marseille, and Borusan Art Center in Istanbul.
Between 2009 and 2015, she worked as a project coordinator at Apartment Project in Istanbul and Berlin, contributing to the development of cross-cultural collaborations and artist-led initiatives. She is a member of Teos Arts and Culture Association and a founding member of Karantina Collective, where she continues to explore collective practices and interdisciplinary approaches in contemporary art.
About Invisible Dust
Founded in 2009 by Artistic Director Alice Sharp, Invisible Dust creates new thinking to address urgent climate futures through ambitious collaborations between leading artists and scientists. It inspires UK and global audiences to engage with critical environmental issues through contemporary art commissions, events, and pioneering scientific ideas. Our collaborators include Margaret Atwood, Ben Okri, Joan Jonas, Hito Steyerl and Elizabeth Price.
Projects 2025–26 include: ‘Wild Eye’ art and nature programme with artists including Jeremy Deller and Emma Smith; International editions of ‘Forecast', a programme looking at what is shaping how we think about the planet's future: ‘Forecast India’ with Delhi-based artists Raqs Media Collective in two London locations June-November 2025, and ‘Forecast Türkiye: Memory of Water / Suyun Belleğir’ with UK-based artist Shezad Dawood in collaboration with Teos Art Collective, Izmir Turkey. Invisible Dust is curating ‘Climate Clock’, seven artists reconnecting us to nature's time – a flagship project for Oulu EU Capital of Culture.
