Kubilay Mert Ural, Suat Öğüt

Darb 1718 | Cairo, Egypt

SAHA supports Kubilay Mert Ural and Suat Öğüt’s new projects atSomething Else:Symposium between 9 February – 22 February 2025. Something Else:Symposium is an initiative by Darb1718 Contemporary Art and Culture Centerthat complements the space’s activities with one all-out visual arts exhibition that takes place once a year in Cairo. Each edition invites up to 20 international curators. In the 4th edition, the chief curator Simon Njami’s title is: Emancipate Yourselves From Mental Slavery. This is a reference to Bob Marley’s Redemption Song which is not only an ode to black spirituality, but a song for freedom that connects ancient civilizations from Southern parts of Africa and situates Cairo at the crux between multiple worlds.

Kubilay Mert Ural (1986, Istanbul) began his artistic journey in performing arts. He completed his bachelor's degree in 'Management of Performing Arts' between 2005 and 2010, followed by a Master's degree in Apply Arts from the Sandberg Institute during 2012-2013. He furthered his artistic exploration with a residency at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten from 2017 to 2018.Starting out as a amateur musician, Kubilay's performances featured multimedia elements, including videos and installations. His artistic journey has evolved over time, leading him to focus more recently on painting and multimedia arts, embodying a dynamic progression in his creative pursuits.

Suat Öğüt (1986, Diyarbakır). Lives and works in Amsterdam and in Izmir. Co-founder at

Corridor Project Space. His work wanders around concepts of (in)visibility based on various subjects such as identity, biography, public/private space, memory, art practice, and consumption culture. Historical material provides a key source of inspiration for his work, and research is an important stage in the process. He is engaged in an investigation into the dynamics between tradition and modernity in the second half of the twentieth century. The physical work mainly presents itself in the form of sculpture, installation and video.

About Darb1718

They support contemporary arts in Egypt by providing a full-fledged arts and culture facility for artists and the public in Egypt. They offer suitable spaces and resources for arts education workshops, exhibitions, concerts, festivals, independent film screenings, underground music and innovative art forms; and arts activities for artists, children, youth, the disabled and the elderly.