THEY/ONLAR
Ipek Duben
In Turkey They covers many ethnic, and religious groups: Kurds, Alevis, Armenians, Jews, Rum (Greek) and Romanis. They also refers to LGBT people, women, covered women, women subjected to domestic violence.
Through their personal testimonies Duben’s subjects discuss their histories, attitudes, prejudices, hear-say and personal experiences concerning each other. But in portraying Turkish society Ipek Duben ultimately invites us to examine ourselves in our context: to listen; to learn; to understand; to be generous to, rather than threatened by the Other.
Co-produced with Brighton Festival and with the generous support of SAHA Foundation
About The Artist
Ipek Duben’s prolonged focus on the Outsider, the Other or the They began with her interest in the Western gaze and preconceptions abroad and at home regarding the Turk. It became the central theme of her postcard and video installation ‘What is a Turk?’ (2003 – 2004) and has remained as a key subject for her work since.
In her multimedia installations, paintings, artist’s books and videos Duben has focused on memory, identity, gender, prejudice, and migration. Besides solo exhibitions she has participated in the 13th Istanbul Biennial (2013); Poetry and Exile: British Museum (2014); 3rd European International Book Art Biennale, Moscow (2014); The Fourth and Fifth Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Biennale for the Artist’s book (2010, 2004); Istanbul Modern (2009,2011); The National Museum of Women in the Arts (Washington D.C. 2010); King St. Stephen Museum, (Hungary 2013,2006), The Fifth Sharjah International Arts Biennial (2001). Collections: Istanbul Modern, British Museum, Wien Museum, King St. Stephen Museum, The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Koç and Zorlu Foundations.
