Friendly ghost of communism haunts Istanbul’s art world

Turkey’s attitude towards communism is one of the most interesting aspects outsiders can spot in Turkish society. Thus, it is no surprise that the main opposition to the 11th Istanbul Biennial’s anarchist theme, Bertolt Brecht’s message “What Keeps Mankind Alive?” has focused on the subject of communism.

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings, which are taking place in Istanbul, have led to counter-meetings and demonstrations by those who feel excluded from the decision-making process. Furthermore, individual artists, as well as art collectives not represented at the Istanbul Biennial art event, gathered together at the Karşı Sanat Gallery in Taksim and at the former Sümerbank building in Karaköy to present their non-conformist perspective on the world's current situation in an exhibition titled “My name is Casper.” The exhibition was organized by the Karşı Sanat Gallery.

“We have more serious problems than those shown at the biennial,” Feyyaz Yaman, one of the organizers of the exhibition and the man behind the alternative platform movement, told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. “Culture has been manipulated by the politicians for a long time. Actors on the political scene forgot about their own responsibilities [so much that they] make us wonder who the real actors are. Art should be separated from politics and politicians should do their own work,” Yaman added.

One of the artists taking part in the exhibition, Ayça Telgeren, told the Daily News that just like in other places in the world, artists in Turkey also have difficulties presenting their works to the public. “Art ‘cartels’ started growing and killing single initiatives,” Telgeren said, and added, “This exhibition is a big step and an alternative for those who are not being shown in other places.” The works of more than 200 Turkish artists will remain on display at the former Sümerbank building, as well as at Karşı Sanat, until Oct. 24.

Marx, Engels versus cartoon

The title of the exhibition comes from a critical article by Emre Zeytinoğlu titled “My name is Casper.” Casper is the “specter haunting Europe” from “The Communist Manifesto” of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. At the same time, however, it takes its name after the popular cartoon about a friendly ghost. “I don’t think this exhibition is about showing a friendly face of communism,” Telgeren said, adding that people in Turkey find hope in this ideology because they have never experienced it in practice in this country. “Communism is a metaphor for an alternative to the current economical and ethical system,” she said. “It just looks friendlier to people than capitalism because it stands for something they don’t know.”

Yavuz Tanyeli, an Istanbul-based artist, also agrees with this idea. “There are real Marxists in Turkey because the ‘live’ side of the ideology is still happening here,” he told the Daily News, “They [the authorities] don’t like them and the ideology is somewhat forbidden.”

“It is the first time in many years that we are talking about this idea openly,” said Yaman. “It was erased from people’s minds but came back due to the economic crisis. We don’t claim the idea of socialism should be implemented the way it is, without questioning it. It has to be questioned, but at the same time we should try to find in it something practical. This movement is a way to start rethinking socialism.”

  Lack of choice a common problem

Yaman admits the exhibition was not originally planned to be launched in parallel to the ongoing IMF meeting, although in their works some artists point out the relation, as well as the meaning of the location – Istanbul’s Wall Street, Banklar Avenue. “The message of the exhibition is not only addressed to Turkey, but has a universal dimension,” Yaman said. “It is not only about political issues, but also ecological and economical ones. Every person is equally responsible for solving them.”

Some works were also related to media and their influence on the society. “In my works, I am trying to point out the manipulation of the press,” Telgeren said. “As an ordinary person, I cannot get the truth from that media … without [first] checking the facts. The press should show reality and people should decide what to think about it,” she said.

Zeynep Cin Yeşildağ, from the same artistic group as Telgeren, is presenting two video performances on the first floor of the Sümerbank building. Yeşildağ also chose the media as a topic for her work because of the similarities among media-related problems all around the world. “Only the language is different and this is what I wanted to show,” Yeşildağ said about her videos.

Yasemin Erdin, meanwhile, is presenting a work about a dream at the exhibition. “Dreaming is something exceptional,” she said, adding that within the current system, dreams are limited to what is allowed and influenced from the outside. “This is a global problem, common all around the world,” she said. “If I knew any other place that is not like this, I would go and live there.”