Placeholder series is a long-term visual study which is based on concepts of non-places, placelessness and transitional landscapes. Selections from the series were exhibited in my first solo show Placeholder which was curated by Melis Golar at Middle East Technical University in 2016. A selection of photos from the series were exhibited in Mamut Art Project and BASE New Artist Platform group shows in 2017. A year later another selection from the series was exhibited at Subjectively Objective in Detroit and also printed as a monograph.
Through the photographs of Mert, Placeholder exhibition unfolds the different places and human traces denoting the alterations in nature made by humans. The places in the photographs embrace a lasting journey instead of representing a destination point which could be designated beforehand. They, also, give reference to the commodities waiting at the end of the road. Actually, these places which seem to be static, distant and deserted within themselves speak of the existence of humans.
