Sundial of the Land of Blind

Supported by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Kadıköy Municipality.

Sundial of the Land of Blind is placed the south facing corner at Moda Park of Istanbul as a permanent sculpture. Known as the "Land of Blind" due to an ancient prophecy, the sculpture connects the ancient myths, the stars, the sun and time in a poetic way.

By looking at the shadow of the ‘gnomon’ (the part of the sundial that is parallel to Earth’s axis), and locating the hour line on which it falls, you can tell the time. Direct sunlight is necessary, so one can read the time only between sunrise and sunset. In the morning, the shadows fall to the west of the gnomon, and in the afternoon, to the east.

On the marble sphere there is a shiny aluminium surface with a star map engraving, that can be rotated, and shows the position of stars at a given time in a specific day, working like a planisphere.

A poem about time is embossed on the side surface, belonging to a poet who lived and taught in Kadıköy for a while. The piece invites the audience to re-imagine their locus, and question ways of seeing, as well as what blindness could possibly (not) mean.

Photos by Kayhan Kaygusuz.