GMU:Re-enchanting the field/Öykü Türkan

How Long to Fill It Up? How Long to Empty?

(An exploration on borders, time, and queer ecologies)

The Narva River draws a line. People are stopped, while birds keep flying, the wind moves, and seeds scatter across.

I begin walking, not with the flow, but against it. Moving upstream becomes a way of thinking about time. Scoop water into a vessel, carry it, and pour it back in - a small loop. Not to change the river, but to listen to it. To sense how it holds, but also leaks.

This land has been filled before - with machines, noise, and smoke. And then emptied - of labour, people, and meaning.

This is not just about a place. It is about the systems we build to separate, control, and claim. And what happens when those systems collapse - when rivers keep flowing, and orchids bloom where no one is looking.

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Background Idea

I want to spend time by the Narva River, which marks the border between Estonia and Russia. I’m not here to define or explain the river, but rather to be with it to walk alongside, observe, and stay open to whatever arises. The land around the river has been shaped by history, politics, and extraction. The nearby ash mountains, remnants of oil shale mining, are a visible mark of ecological damage and industrial presence. Rather than focusing on these systems, I want to pay attention to the smaller signs of the place - the textures and traces that hold both weight and uncertainty. I’m particularly interested in how time is experienced in this space, and how a queer ecological approach might open up new ways of relating to it in non-linear and open-ended ways.

Work Description

I will document my experience during my time there and aim to create a video work that reflects what I encounter. The process won’t follow a strict script or performative plan. Instead, I’ll gather visual and sonic impressions, which could include images of water, industrial ruins, plant life, or simple actions like carrying water. The structure will be non-linear, weaving together fragments into a poetic visual rhythm that reflects the uncertainty and openness of the place itself.