Abstract
Most Turkish artists who participated in two recent Istanbul Biennial exhibitions showed work that was tied to that country's urban sociopolitical scene or relations with other cultures. In addition, recurring Western Orientalist projections, acting as an irritant, have generated reciprocal ambivalences among contemporary Turkish artists. These sources have produced interesting art, within and outside the Biennial. This article describes several examples. Some works dealt, if only obliquely, with Istanbul as an overcrowded megalopolis caught up in forces of globalization. The Turkish artists who have participated in the ten Istanbul Biennials (including that of 2007) may be viewed synchronically in terms of their circles and networks. Or they may be analyzed in terms of cohorts or generations, each responding as it emerged to a particular social and political situation. In certain ways these artists resemble an avant-garde, although as a group they have not succeeded in breaking out of their love–hate addiction to the West. For historical reasons, Turkish artists seem to be faced with two options in dealing with this situation; this article presents an example of each.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
