Dream Gigs Illustrated
Illustrated Posters
Collective project w/ HoodBase
Vol I. exhibited at Istanbul Comics and Arts Fest 2019
VolI. Published in Aposto/Duende 2021
VolII. Exhibited at Mamut Art 2021
Dream Gigs Illustrated is an online illustration project started by HOOD Base, where illustrators design concert and festival posters for imaginary gigs, missed gigs because of time and place or gigs that they have experienced firsthand and have left a mark on them.
Vol I.
Andrew Bird @ Cennet Cehennem“It took me some time to decide on the poster. Instead of designing for big names that I’m a fan of or masters who have passed away, I chose someone that I’ve been listening to a lot lately: Andrew Bird. I knew many of his songs by heart even before I realized they belonged to him. He amazes me with his whistle and violin.
In Turkey, we get to see many stars but to see a quasi-local artist like Andrew Bird, who doesn’t travel outside of North America much, in a magical place of the city where I grew up; that’s a dream to be psyched about. It’s a tough journey to Cennet but it’s really worth dreaming of listening to Roma Fade beside the ruins of the old church, built at the edge of the cenote.”
Andrew Bird @ Cennet Cehennem“It took me some time to decide on the poster. Instead of designing for big names that I’m a fan of or masters who have passed away, I chose someone that I’ve been listening to a lot lately: Andrew Bird. I knew many of his songs by heart even before I realized they belonged to him. He amazes me with his whistle and violin.
In Turkey, we get to see many stars but to see a quasi-local artist like Andrew Bird, who doesn’t travel outside of North America much, in a magical place of the city where I grew up; that’s a dream to be psyched about. It’s a tough journey to Cennet but it’s really worth dreaming of listening to Roma Fade beside the ruins of the old church, built at the edge of the cenote.”
Vol II.
Mitski @ Anahit Sahne“Before the pandemic, I used to socialize at gigs. Now I remember those gigs and realize how lucky I was. I also feel a pang of grief. I’m almost 24 and trying to find my place in life, struggling to keep myself balanced; the state of the world doesn’t help. I put off a lot of things that I wanted to do, dreamt of doing. I’m still putting off.
Until a few months ago, all I knew about Mitski was her song Francis Forever that she lent to Marceline in Adventure Time. We met again thanks to the lockdown. With each new song, I found another reflection of my feelings. I cried after my teenage years and broken dreams with ‘Because Dreaming Costs Money’; I listened to ‘Liquid Smooth’ thinking about all the weight I gained and lost in quarantine, my appearance and how people saw me. I heard ‘Nobody’ in every window that I opened to hear my neighbors. I started singing slowly and quietly, I danced shouting. I felt numb, laughed, cried, screamed… I fed my cathartic moments with Mitski. I welcome this wonderful woman to Anahit Sahne, the place that I turned down the chance to see because I was tired and preferred sleeping at home. In a world where Anahit Sahne carries on their events and I leave home no matter what.”
Mitski @ Anahit Sahne“Before the pandemic, I used to socialize at gigs. Now I remember those gigs and realize how lucky I was. I also feel a pang of grief. I’m almost 24 and trying to find my place in life, struggling to keep myself balanced; the state of the world doesn’t help. I put off a lot of things that I wanted to do, dreamt of doing. I’m still putting off.
Until a few months ago, all I knew about Mitski was her song Francis Forever that she lent to Marceline in Adventure Time. We met again thanks to the lockdown. With each new song, I found another reflection of my feelings. I cried after my teenage years and broken dreams with ‘Because Dreaming Costs Money’; I listened to ‘Liquid Smooth’ thinking about all the weight I gained and lost in quarantine, my appearance and how people saw me. I heard ‘Nobody’ in every window that I opened to hear my neighbors. I started singing slowly and quietly, I danced shouting. I felt numb, laughed, cried, screamed… I fed my cathartic moments with Mitski. I welcome this wonderful woman to Anahit Sahne, the place that I turned down the chance to see because I was tired and preferred sleeping at home. In a world where Anahit Sahne carries on their events and I leave home no matter what.”
Vol III.
The Beach Boys @Hezarfen I’m 10, I’m newly starting to comprehend the concept of concerts. The Rock’n Coke ads with Franz Ferdinand’s Take me out are running on every channel. I have no idea who is who but I found the idea of watching a concert at an airfield pretty cool.
I’m in high school. Now I get it a bit better. My band and I keep dreaming about going to the Rock'n Coke when were in university during practices. Now the ads with THe Arctic Monkeys are running. But that Rock’n Roll ends up being the last one ever. And I add a new disappointment to my “never got to-do list”.
Fast forward to my university freshman year, and now I have a better understanding of music. I hear “Til I Die” by The Beach Boys for the first time while I’m watching “Love and Mercy '', the biopic of the amazing Brian Wilson. I get obsessed with the album Surfs Up containing the song as its 9th track and start to chase the record. One day when I was skimming through the AKMAR for records I see it. I want to check the condition of the record so I slowly open the envelope. It’s empty. I ran to the shop owner and asked him if he saw it somewhere. He seems surprised by my excitement. He says, “It's not even the best album of them, something to chase after” in a condescending way. This whole conversation fires me up to find the record. At the end of 5 years, I finally got a hold of the album and I play it again and again without getting bored of it knowing that I will never be able to listen to them live.
In 2021, this album by the band I love dearly with a good understanding of music is tuning 50. I dreamt of a summer day that The Beach Boys will be playing the whole album with the edition of their greatest hits to finish up with Kokomo at Hezarfen. I merged different dreams of mine from different ages of mine… and may I say it's a great one.
The Beach Boys @Hezarfen I’m 10, I’m newly starting to comprehend the concept of concerts. The Rock’n Coke ads with Franz Ferdinand’s Take me out are running on every channel. I have no idea who is who but I found the idea of watching a concert at an airfield pretty cool.
I’m in high school. Now I get it a bit better. My band and I keep dreaming about going to the Rock'n Coke when were in university during practices. Now the ads with THe Arctic Monkeys are running. But that Rock’n Roll ends up being the last one ever. And I add a new disappointment to my “never got to-do list”.
Fast forward to my university freshman year, and now I have a better understanding of music. I hear “Til I Die” by The Beach Boys for the first time while I’m watching “Love and Mercy '', the biopic of the amazing Brian Wilson. I get obsessed with the album Surfs Up containing the song as its 9th track and start to chase the record. One day when I was skimming through the AKMAR for records I see it. I want to check the condition of the record so I slowly open the envelope. It’s empty. I ran to the shop owner and asked him if he saw it somewhere. He seems surprised by my excitement. He says, “It's not even the best album of them, something to chase after” in a condescending way. This whole conversation fires me up to find the record. At the end of 5 years, I finally got a hold of the album and I play it again and again without getting bored of it knowing that I will never be able to listen to them live.
In 2021, this album by the band I love dearly with a good understanding of music is tuning 50. I dreamt of a summer day that The Beach Boys will be playing the whole album with the edition of their greatest hits to finish up with Kokomo at Hezarfen. I merged different dreams of mine from different ages of mine… and may I say it's a great one.