Oh Beautiful İstanbul, 2019
Performance
Diren Demir
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The sculpture of Gürdal Duyar, which portrays Istanbul as a woman, was erected in Karaköy at March 1974. When the CHP-MSP (National Salvation Party) coalition was established, a political crisis emerged because of the sculpture. Those in MSP, under the leadership of Erbakan, have displaced the sculpture which they found obscene with sledge and hammers. Sculpture was relegated to Yıldız Park.
In 2015, Istanbul Municipality have covered the perimeter of the “Beautiful İstanbul” sculpture in Yıldız Park. “There is a playground for children right next to the sculpture. We covered it with this fence when the families have complained that it is obscene” stated the authorities. (Source: Posta Newspaper)
Diren removes the performance that started with the statue from its homeland and repeats it in different areas, making the pose of the statue an image of resistance. The repetition of this women’s pose by a male-appointed artist constitutes the queer side of the resistance.
Diren Demir 