The State of Ata, an Artists’ Book: My Turkish I.D. Card
Symposium:
- ISEA2011: 17th International Symposium on Electronic Art
- More presentations from ISEA2011:
Session Title:
- Short:Circuit: Cross Border Communications in New Media Between US and Turkey
Presentation Title:
- The State of Ata, an Artists’ Book: My Turkish I.D. Card
Presenter(s):
Venue(s):
Abstract:
Panel: Short:Circuit: Cross Border Communications in New Media Between US and Turkey
The State of Ata is a visual book about the social themes that define contemporary Turkey and that specifically examines the imagery of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, its revolutionary leader after World War I. This is a critical visual exploration on the meaning of Atatürk’s imagery and how it is used in Turkish society today. He is seen as the link to Western culture. His image is being used as a symbol in opposition to the Islamist political movement. For the new Turkish Republic the symbolic image of Atatürk is the icon that connects the citizen to the image of a modern Turkey. His image pervades Turkish life. A variety of iconic images communicate the military hero, father of the country, visionary thinker, planner, teacher, religious leader, even fashion model, as he moved to reinvent every facet of Turkish life including mode of dress.
With the present-day struggle between secularists, fascists, nationalists, Islamists, and the military, there is an increasing interest in using the image of Atatürk as an emblem for every political position. This work also recognizes the political battles within Turkish culture that revolve around feminine political fashion, the wearing of the scarf and even more extremely, the wearing of the black çarsaf. Religious dress has become a political statement that counterpoints the sexually evocative styles from Europe and the West. This is an artists’ book in its conception and design that weaves together photographs, interviews, artists’ interventions and archival imagery. It is a critical visual exploration on the meaning of Ataturk’s imagery and how it is used in Turkish society today. During a twelve year period between 1997 and 2009, Mike Mandel and Chantal Zakari, two artists, one Turkish, one American, have become engaged in this project to better understand this conflict. In this presentation Chantal Zakari (one of the two artists) will speak about identity issues in relationship to her Turkish-Levantine heritage.