Love Labour's Post

Calm down a little because the sea is too restless. Sit down and write to someone from the other coast and put it into the box.

The spatial project called Love Labour’s Post produced for ART IN PUBLIC PLACE: EVOLVE and curated by Dr Necmi Sönmez during PORTIZMIR International Contemporary Art Triennial, keeps swimming since the passengers on the ferry named Captain Enabir Can wrote those letters. The reading of the letters that were written at the Alsancak- Bostanlı- Karşıyaka route between 2-25 April 2018 took place at the archive exhibition organized in collaboration with Büyük Siyah Kapı Photography Collective for the Migration Stories Festival in 6-11 May 2018 for the first time .

Dr. Necmi Sonmez comments on the project with such questions:

 What is the function of a mailbox placed inside a ferry? To whom will the passengers write letters? Who will read what is written? 
We run away from daily journeys. Let’s put our yearnings on paper by writing letters. The reply would come to us from the Bay.

Cansu Çakar, the artist of the project, presents the re-opening of the box that has spatial and mobile features for the DEMOLITION group exhibition with the following statements that explain the characteristic of the work,

"The gulf is the memory of the seas. It collects and remembers everything. The gulf box also looks for the representation of what İzmir Gulf has been collecting in the historical process. The box is open now. You can read the letters that have been much personal and that dive in deep as much as they stay on the surface. 
"

Envelopes used for Love Labour's Post

One of the passengers is writing a letter, photo: İlyas Hayta

When the box was opened for the Migration Stories Festival , it was documented that a total of 333 letters were written over a period of approximately one month, photo: Hamdi Atay

A few examples of the letters written by the passengers

Today, when I got on the ferry, I saw K. Enabir Can and I was very happy. A strange box was standing towards the back of the ferry. Made makeshift. My guess is that I bought pallets and wood found from materials found in the shipyard, and a pen and paper. I started writing the top row ones. The engine started and made a tremendous noise as usual. The bay is partially covered with fog. A cargo ship in the commercial port, two in the bay, a song in my head, we are approaching the opposite shore with Ataol Berhamoğlu's poem, Fire Place. I see the second building of the Izmir Chamber of Commerce, this new building seems very flashy to me. But it has a beautiful appearance. I see the historical pier and then Gündoğdu square. It felt like I wrote too much.

I do not know which official will consider? My request is this; Treat cyclists like a "HUMAN". We are not animals! We use it in İzban, subway, elevator, stair. I had no problems in Europe. Why on earth ??? You are blocking !!! How can a lady take off and lower her 20 kg bike with muscle strength? A parking space should be determined for cyclists in train cabins, where they will put their bicycles safely. Don't leave us at the mercy of the passengers!

My darling, I love you so much, every night I think that your first hot kiss reflects on my tired soul. I love you.

*In the project, it is stated that the letters written by passengers will not be mailed.