User:G7race/sandbox

Gülsen Bal, Asst. Prof. PhD - Dr., graduated from London Guildhall University in the field of time-based media and studied MA degree in Critical Fine Art at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, where she undertook her doctoral study. Her research has involved exploring the temporal and strategic conjunctions of differential structures seeking to understand the implications and complexity of the “production of subjectivity” formulated in multiple strategies.

Bal is a curator and an art and visual culture theorist. She has initiated a non-profit based initiation Open Space - Zentrum für Kunstprojekte within its multi layered constituents since 2007 in Vienna. At the arrival of 2011, Bal introduced a fundamental shift in the way Open Space operates subsequent to a transitory year in which a new edition came to life as Open Systems - Verein zur Förderung und Vermittlung von Kultur. She has received several awards within the scope of bestowing the distinguished delivery of the programs in recognition of the best accomplishments of its activity and demonstrating considerable commitment to contemporary art. Bal, the founder of Open Space, aims to create facilitating for contemporary creative practice concerned with contributing a model strategy in search for new outlines of the possible practices.

Her recent curatorial includes “Say what?” at Galeri Zilberman (Istanbul, 2015), “Places of Transition” at quartier21 INTERNATIONAL/ MuseumsQuartier Wien (Vienna, 2014) together with Walter Seidl; “BALKAN(S) NOW - Status seminar and artistic survey” at Vienna Art Fair - ‘VIENNA Live’ (Vienna, 2013), Mestna galerija (Ljubljana, 2013) and Remont (Belgrade, 2013); “It’s in the ‘can’” at Open Systems (Vienna, 2012); the 12th edition of renowned festival “PIXXELPOINT: Let’s Get Ready” at Metropolitana Gallery (Nova Gorica, 2011), Nova Gorica City Gallery (Nova Gorica, 2011), Tir Gallery (Gorizia, 2011) and Mostovna Cultural Centre (Gorizia, 2011); “Ist dies alles?” at Open Space (Vienna, 2011); “No Ifs, No Buts” at DEPO (Istanbul, 2010) and also one of the co-curator of the 28th Biennial of Graphic: “The Matrix: An Unstable Reality” at Gallery Škuc (Ljubljana, 2009). Among the others, she was invited as one of the hundred curators from all over the world to participate in “100 CURATORS 100 DAYS” for the largest exhibit of its kind by the Saatchi Gallery (London) in 2012.

Apart from numerous her essay publications, she also edited “Past Futures Manifested”, b-flex publishing (Istanbul, 2014), “A special issue: Reader: BALKAN(S) NOW” for an interdisciplinary online Journal of Open Systems (Vienna, 2014); “A special issue: Of Many Worlds!” / “Aus vielen Welten!” for an interdisciplinary online Journal of Open Systems (Vienna, 2013); “A special issue: Is this all there is?” for Journal of Visual Art Practice, Intellect publication in association with National Association for Fine Art Education (London, 2012); “Open Space - what is possible in the political potentiality…” / “Open Space - Mögliche Umrisse von  politischen Potenzialität...”,  Divus (Vienna, 2011); “Open Space - what is possible in creative practice” / “Open Space - Mögliche Umrisse von Kunstpraxis”, Divus (Vienna, 20100; “Open Space - Mapping contemporary creative practice” / “Open Space - Schnittpunkte Aktueller Kunstpraxis”, Divus (Vienna, 2009);” A special issue on Turkey: The Space of Min(d)field” for Third Text Magazine – Routledge (London, 2008); “Türkiye'de Dün-Bugün Dönüşümleri”, Taylor & Francis Inc. publication  (Istanbul, 2008); “Gone City: re-reading cultural turn in mobility”, a Bucher Verlag publication (Bregenz, 2008).

In addition, she is currently lecturer at Istanbul Bilgi University as well as teaching part time at Yeditepe University in Art Management Department for MA degree. She taught visual cultural studies and curatorial practices at Technische Universität Wien in Institut für Kunst und Gestaltung Department (2008-2013).

And, she sits on the Advisory Board of Third Text - Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Art and Culture Magazine (Routledge, London). Bal called upon as a juror and critic at several boards, such as The Global Board of Contemporary Art (GBCA, Brussels), Art Prize “The Future of Europa” for the Museum of Contemporary Art (GfZK, Leipzig), a price committee for the Akademie der Bildenden Künste Wien (a[, Vienna) and at the jury board of Fellowship Program for Art and Theory for Künstlerhaus Büchsenhausen (Innsbruck) and Siemens Art (Istanbul).

She has curated, edited, published articles and participated in talks in various places and venues internationally as well as in Turkey.