Look at me: An artistic self-critique on the modern woman in Turkey

Artists from Turkey explore the perception of the modern women in their country.

Abject Galley is pleased to announce an exhibition of video work by six artists from Turkey exploring the role of a modern women in their country.

Look at Me, presents the work of six artists living and working in Turkey, revealing their perception of ‘self’ within Turkey’s current social and political climate.

Curated by Çiğdem Mentesoglu for Abject Gallery, Look at Me presents a collection of works by six female artists, using video as a means to explore themselves through private and public perception; presenting what the artists refer to as a ‘self-critique’ of the modern women. Dila Yumurtacı, Özlem Şimşek, Ferhat Özgür, Çiğdem Mentesoglu, Gizem Karakaş and Bengü Karaduman provide us with a critical and intimate look at their environment with relation to their society and its politics at this time.

Dila Yumurtacı: ‘Elinin Hamuru’ – ‘With Flour on my Hand’

‘Elinin Hamuru’ (meaning, with flour on my hand) is a frequently used expression in in Turkey, used as a warning this phrase literally means: “Do not tamper with a man’s job with flour on your hands!’’ Yumurtacı feels that such a discourse constrains the status of women on the social sphere and depicts a world where a stark dichotomy between ‘manly jobs’ vs. ‘womanly jobs’ exists. In this world Yumurtacı believes that women are presented as being incapable to rival men in terms of power, they take the back seat and are portrayed as ‘homely’, ‘settled’ and ‘domestic’ creatures.

Özlem Şimşek: Letter (After Nuri İyem)

Letter, presents a self-portrait of Özlem Şimşek as she re-enacts representations of women in Turkish painting, with specific reference to the work of Nuri İyem, who Şimşek claims, represents what the ruling elite deem to be the ideal Turkish woman. As Turkish society has undergone major transformations and art history has adopted many voices and different perspectives, Şimşek attempts to strip these works of their male ideology, questioning the identity of the modern Turkish woman and the nature of representation.

Ferhat Özgür: The Will

The Will (or The Ten Commandments) is a parody in which Özgür highlights the ills of not only Turkish artists but of all non-Western art worlds in relation to Western art and its history. Özgür presents us with satirical work depicting the relationship that Turkish artists have with the west and how art has always been perceived as a matter of importance for the modernization project of Turkey. In the post-modern era, the artist’s desperate situation only draws laughter, or is it perhaps tears?

Çiğdem Menteşoğlu: Made in Connotations

Made in Connotations is a personal history inspired by connotations that arise as the artist explores her inner-self through her dreams. These dreams reveal the artist’s passion, frustration, and fear as she lies between fiction and reality; an emotional response to her external world.

Gizem Karakaş: DİKKAT! DİKKAT! - ATTENTION! ATTENTION!

Attention! Attention! Presents a four-channel video installation, questioning the multi-faceted mechanics and economies of the art world through the eyes of a young artist, as she attempts to navigate through this world; charming the art lover in a hope to get the attention of the press, in order to persuade the collector to buy the work and in doing so attach a value so as to help persuade the gallery to show the art work. 

Bengü Karaduman: Sketch for a New Body as a Performance

Karaduman presents an imaginative exploration of body and self, describing herself as oscillating between two entities, ‘being’ in one form and ‘changing’ in the other; the artist is responding to the external world that is changing around her.

The preview for this exhibition takes place on Friday 17th March, 7pm – 10pm, featuring music, drinks and a chance to meet curator. The exhibition continuing to be open from 22nd March – 22nd April, Wednesday to Saturday, 12pm – 5pm. Entry is free.

Abject Gallery, run by Breeze Creatives, is a new contemporary art gallery, in Newcastle city centre that exhibits a selection of national and international artists. Located on the 8th floor of Bamburgh House on Market Street East, the gallery is also known for its stunning views of the Quayside including the Tyne Bridge, Sage and BALTIC.

More information is available at www.abject.gallery

Look at me: An artistic self-critique on the modern woman in Turkey
Preview: Friday, 17th March 2017, 7:00pm –  10:00pm
Exhibition: 22nd March –  22nd April 2017
Opening Times: Wed –  Sat, 12:00pm –  5:00pm
Location: Abject Gallery, 8th Floor, Bamburgh House, Market Street East, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6BH