Sun, sea and sand are what you associate with the Turkish coastal town of Bodrum. Well, now you can add another ‘s’ to that for sculpture, as boutique luxury hotel The Stay at Bobo has transformed its olive grove into a mini sculpture park. Organised by Artsa Consultancy and curated by Selcan Atilgan and Hervé Mikaeloff, it brings together nine works by nine art world big hitters, so that you can enjoy some culture alongside the great food and relaxing in and by the Mediterranean Sea.
Wandering through the dappled shade, the nine works rise from the earth like ancient sentinels awakened by the Mediterranean light. Some demand attention with vivid colours that compete with the blazing Turkish sun, while others are subtler, blending with the natural surroundings.
Angela Bulloch’s stacked geometric shapes remind me of Constantin Brancusi’s Endless Column. However, in Bulloch’s case, each shape is slightly different from the one below it – reminding me of twisted strands of DNA. It’s fitting that the Mediterranean is behind this blue-hued work whose sharp angles are a clear human intervention in a natural landscape, just like the angular yachts moored in the sea behind it.
Gisela Colon’s bullet-shaped sculpture is polished to a level only possible through human intervention, yet the striations in the alabaster make it feel in turn with the landscape. It’s as if some primordial force had erupted from the earth, then been lovingly smoothed by centuries of hands.
Marion Verboom’s totemic work feels like it could have been unearthed from some lost civilisation, inspired as it is by ancient mythology and archaeology. Meanwhile, both Camille Henrot and Wang Keping have created works that nod to modernism’s greats – pieces that would sit comfortably alongside Henry Moore or Barbara Hepworth.
At the other end of the scale, Sabine Marcellis’ four mirrored works (first image) reflect the dappled sunlight under the trees and mix with our reflections to make us feel like we’ve entered into a mirror dimension. Equally otherworldly is Arne Quinze’s crushed reflective sculpture, as if some cosmic force had compressed what was once a smooth-edged piece.
Even Ugo Rondinone’s neon pink totem with its white crown struggles against the relentless Turkish sun, its electric brightness rendered almost pastel by the intensity of natural light. It’s humbling watching artificial colour submit to the sun’s gaze in the height of the Turkish Summer.
Most enigmatic of all is Alicja Kwade’s installation. Steel tubes pierce concrete like hollow needles, while stone spheres rest within them or roll free across the ground. It reads like the remnants of some cosmic game whose rules remain tantalisingly out of reach. Those spheres could be planets in miniature, making you wonder what this grove might witness across geological time – long after the last tourist has departed.
Art is what can transform a place from beautiful to genuinely memorable. Here’s hoping The Stay at Bobo continues building on this foundation, because the marriage of world-class art with the natural landscape creates something neither could achieve alone. It’s a great addition to this stunning, eco-conscious hotel. When you’ve had your dip in the sea, eaten well and read a few chapters of your book, it’s great to visit this exhibition and sit with the ideas each work embodies.
Earth Remembers in on until 31 August at Bobo by the Stay in Bodrum, Turkey. It’s on until 31st August and is viewable to hotel guests and beach visitors.
All images are copyright and courtesy of Artsa Consultancy and the respective artists. First image Sabine Marcellis. Second image: Angela Bulloch. Third Image: Marion Verboom
