Ayşe Erkmen

Stars of Hipparchus, 1992, perforated metal plate, neon tubes, 50 x 70 cm (each)

This sculpture was created for the exhibition Art, Texnh, held at the Museum of Painting and Sculpture and featuring artists from Türkiye and Greece. The work was conceived in reference to Hipparchus, the ancient Greek astronomer who produced one of the earliest star catalogues and contributed to the identification of the constellations, and who was believed to have lived in the region of İzmir.

The installation consisted of twelve metal plates representing the twelve signs of the zodiac. Each plate was perforated according to the constellation pattern of the corresponding sign and illuminated from behind by neon tubes. Cables connecting each plate to the next were also displayed as part of the work.