Page - 103 - in Mobile Culture Studies - The Journal, Volume 4/2018

Mobile Culture Studies. The Journal 4 2o18 Lora Sariaslan | The Art of Migration 103 illustrates an imaginary territory composed of cotton fabrics with floral designs that are widespread in Turkey. In Golden Lining (2016) (Fig. 9), the dominating material is the Dutch textile cre- ated for the former colony of Java produced in the Netherlands, and (ironically) exported to the island. This illogical flow of commerce becomes one level of the work. In addition, the golden thread that dominates the com- position becomes a web, similar to the co- lonial times, and reaches its peak through the depiction of a boat, once again, depicted with golden thread. Its shimmering presence becomes the embodiment of the social, po- litical and economic aspects of the source of the metaphorical golden lining, that of the colonial past. Servet Koçyiğit creates fer- tilization between the layers of the various textiles rooted in diverse cultures acquired in the Netherlands connoting their colonial past. These differences create images that turn into imaginary maps, lands and desires. In addition to the specific associations that the usages of these distinct fabrics evoke, these painterly collages are their own arbitrary signage systems. Buttons stand for cities, different colors of fabric mark borders, and colors of thread stand for roads, rivers and waterways. In Agent Orange (2016) (Fig. 10), Koçyiğit uses textiles with diverse colored camouflage prints mixed with pink strips that turn into rivers, mountains or oceans through the vibrant blues, or by an orange stitching connoting a borderline. Playful at first sight, upon closer in- spection, these pieces turn into an artistic commentary on the current world affairs and suggest the mutating and changing nature of borders, territories, and communities. He once again shows us how textiles are interwoven with notions of identity, status and power through their transformative nature. When one thinks about the stages in which the work is created, it is not much different than the historical manner in which borders have been created and institutionalized through maps. In different countries, from Turkey to the Netherlands, the artist searches for different textiles, mostly with cultural or historical significance. He cuts the textile, a violent act, in different shapes marking frontiers, limitations and borders. At times, the shapes overlap, or at times extend the frontiers. He has even created a special zone with pink stripes over the land – isolating one zone over the others. Once he completes the textile canvas, he staples it to the stretcher, in a way concretizing his imaginary map. The juxtaposition of motley civilian Fig. 10: Servet Koçyiğit, Agent Orange, 2016. Textile collage, embroidery on textile, paint, ink, 120 x 170 cm. Courtesy of the artist.