Prof. Dr. Marcus Graf danışmanlığındaki tezler
31 tez · Yeditepe University
An investigation on the evolution of Turkish pavillion at Venice Art Biennale
Even though Turkey has been participating in the Venice Biennale since 1991, it only recently obtained a long-term venue and pavilion in 2014, due to the initiative of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV, 2024). This study intends to research the Turkish Pavilion's development at the Venice Biennale between the years 2003 and 2022 by focusing on curators, curatorial frameworks, artists and artworks. The goal of this thesis is to decide upon a model from among these exhibitions that will consolidate the position of the Turkish Pavilion to warrant a venue at the Venice Biennale in future. For the methodology, I intend to conduct research at the online Historical Archives of Contemporary Arts (ASAC: Archive Storico Delle Art Contemporanee), I will analyse not only archival materials as case studies, but will also conduct interviews with curators and artists of the selected biennials. Finally, I intend to review national and international literature in order to collect relevant data. Keywords: Artist, Curator, Exhibition, Turkish Pavillion, Venice Biennale
II. Dünya Savaşı ve şiddetinin resim ve tiyatroya etkileri (1939-1960)
Bu çalışma, Şiddetin ve özelikle II. Dünya Savaşı şiddetinin etkilerinin 1939-1960 yılları arasındaki Resim ve Tiyatro sanatlarına yansımasını inceleyecektir. Söz konusu dönemde şiddete maruz kalan ve/veya uygulayanların Resim ve Tiyatro Sanatlarına nasıl konu edinildiği, sanatçıların bu dönemden nasıl etkilendiklerini eserleri üzerinden karşılaştırmalı araştırmayı hedeflemektedir. Resim ve Tiyatro'da eserler üzerinden literatür araştırması, yazılı ve görsel kaynak araştırması yapılarak şiddet kuramının görsel kaynaklara uygulanışı incelenecektir.
Aesthetic of ugliness in the art of painting between 17th century and early 20th century
Hereby this thesis titled "Aesthetic of Ugliness in the Art of Painting Between 17th Century and Early 20th Century" investigates the paintings that contain ugliness in them. The main focus is to show and discuss paintings that include ugly content or figures to reveal the fact that in the History of Fine Arts, since the 17th century, ugliness is used as a conceptual and aesthetic parameter. In this context, to understand and to define ugliness; beauty is explained first in chapter II and III, both in philosophy and in art. In chapter IV, ugliness is described and exemplified in accordance to the art periods. In chapter V, the explanations of the selected examples of paintings that mention ugly in them from 17th century starting with Baroque and until the early 20th century ending with New Objectivity is explained. As a result, the aim is to show the importance of ugliness in the art of painting.
Arts and health: Individual healing tendencies in participatory art practices
The holistic approach stated by the constitution of World Health Organization defines health not as the absence of infirmity and disease but the state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing. The thesis tries to build a bridge in between two essential fields that provide physical, mental, and social wellbeing: Arts and Health. Throughout the history of arts, arts have a leading role in restructuring and reconstructing the society. Depending on social and cultural conditions, arts heal the wounds thoroughly especially during unstable periods when the society suffer from anxiety, loneliness, and depression. Today, the applications of different art disciplines are used to protect individual health, in addition to its contribution to healthcare institutions. Research findings show that practicing arts increase the psychological resilience of the participants and add meaning to their lives. The thesis aims to emphasize that art plays an important role in the wellbeing and recovery of individuals having physical, mental and emotional problems. Participatory art practices, which can also be defined as social art, community-based art, interventionist art, and collaborative art, strengthen social bonds and help to create collective consciousness. The reason for examining whether there are individual healing tendencies in these practices is that participatory art is a collaborative art type that opposes the traditional forms of artistic production and consumption. Besides not having a hierarchical order, gives individuals the opportunity to open a space where they can be liberated. The surprising, varying, unexpected open ended space given to the participant provides the opportunity to notice daily paradoxes and reevaluate environmental subjects besides human relationships. It reveals both disturbing and pleasurable experiences. The selected research and the findings obtained in the thesis are the proofs that art has an indispensable place in human health. This thesis, which is an interdisciplinary study on arts and health, tries to shed light on more detailed studies, research and applications.
New inclinations in the museumification process of private museums in Turkey after 2010
This Master's dissertation, titled "New Inclinations in the Museumification Process of Private Museums in Turkey After 2010" comprises the development of art collectorship in Turkey through the concept of collections and in comparison with the Western world, the transformation of these art collections into private museums in the 2000s, and the new inclinations regarding the location choices of private museums after 2010. Ever since the prehistoric period, at times to meet their biological needs and at times to satiate their religious instincts, humans have researched, discovered, and collected, evolving over the centuries to do it consciously and consistently, becoming collectors, and later, with rational categorization and institutionalization, secularizing their collections, thus establishing museums. Becoming wealthier through commerce, While collectorship developed in Europe starting with the Renaissance in the 15th century, leading to collections becoming public in the 17th century and the start of modern museumification in the century that followed, it was the bourgeoisie that birthed European collectorship. The absence of a noble class outside the Sultan and his family that could correspond to the bourgeoisie which birthed European collectorship, the upper-classes lacking the same amount of privilege and influence as their western counterparts, as well as the Empire's somewhat frequent financial and societal crises delayed the emergence of collectors in the Ottoman Empire by about 2 centuries, even though there were similarities to European collections regarding the aggregation methods and logic. Museumification was similarly delayed by two centuries, emerging after the 19th century. The foundations of art collectorship lay with the autonomy and the commodification of art, which created its own market. Thus, art collectorship and the art market always progress simultaneously. In the Republic of Turkey, founded by Atatürk, the early period national culture policies made the state the primary patron of arts. However, liberal economic policies starting in the 1980s allowed private capital to take over from the state, launching a period where artworks and collectorship increased. Attempting to integrate itself with the world as a result of the globalization policies of the 1990s, the 2000s for the Turkish art market, dominated by private capital, coincide with a highly dynamic period when the recently growing population of art collectors founded private museums in İstanbul by which they could receive exposure and recognition. This period saw the emergence of culture and arts events and activities in the periphery. After 2010 this was followed by collectors who wished to bring their collections to the lands where they were born and dreamt about showing revealing the existence of a culture outside the center, who then established museums towards that goal. As part of the research, we began with the roots of collectorship, working toward the museumification of Western art collections from Europe to the US. Here, we pivot to the Ottoman Empire, making our way through to the Republic of Turkey with its political, financial, and social background, over which we not only take a two thousand five hundred year long journey through the development of the art market and collectorship, but also examine private museums founded after 2010 in Anatolia to create bonds and connections with their cities in addition to making these into popular cultural stops, thus inspiring new ones to launch, therefore occupying an important spot in art history. We aim to contribute to future research with this examination. Keywords: Collection, Collecting, Collectorship, Art Market, Private Museums
The concept of emptiness in contemporary landscape paintings in Turkey
In this research, the definition and the meaning of concept of emptiness will be explored, and the relationship between the concept of nature and the concept of nature by the effect of sky, mountain, road and sea images in landscape paintings will be researched. In this process, not only landscape painting but also the changing ways of looking at the landscape are included. The aim of the thesis is to examine landscape painting in the context of the concept of emptiness by looking at major artists, groups and exhibitions from a conceptual framework. An artist working in the field of landscapes, regardless of the focus of the subject they are working on, first goes through a mental decision-making process. The artist's view of the landscape and the way they confine it within a delimited frame is subjective. Methodologically, this study is approached from two perspectives. The first is conceptual and the second is practical. Firstly, the conceptual framework on the subject was created and secondly, in line with the data obtained, the concept of emptiness and landscape painting in the course of history were examined formally, spiritually and conceptually in terms of selected painters and their works. The conclusion was that landscape paintings carry meditative elements that relax the mind in connection with the concept of emptiness and involve the viewer with the help of these elements.
The past and current state of geometric abstract art
Following an introduction to abstract art this thesis study focuses on the geometric abstract art which emerged with the onset of abstract art in three time periods. In the first section which encompasses a time frame of approximately fortyfive years between the onset of abstract art in the begining of the 20th century and the end of World War II it is discussed how artists like Kandinsky and Malevich made a difference by breaking off from the convention and thus contributed to the existence of the geometric abstract art. In the second section which covers a time frame between the emergence of a new world order following World War II and the post modernism in 1980 the development phase of geometric abstract art is reviewed. Art movements such as Op Art, Minimalism and Colour Field Painting and the leading artists who enabled the development of abstract and geometric abstract art as a reaction to the totalitarian regimes of the pre 1945 period is examined. Also Turkish artists asscociated with geometric abstract art following affinity of Turkish art world with West after 1950 is reviewed. In the last section between 1980 and present the contemporary international and Turkish artists who do geometric abstract art is examined. It is pointed out that geometric abstract art at present is preserving its existence via internet and similiar technologies and media applications in addition to conventional methods. Key Words : Abstract, Colour Field Painting ,Geometric, Internet ,Kazimir Malevich, Media Applications, Minimalism, Op Art, Wasily Kandinsky
The investment strategies of art funds
This thesis study examines the conditions that laid the groundwork for art funds in particular, their formation and development processes, and subsequently analyses the properties of art funds as a type of investment fund, and their structure and diversity, ultimately closely examining their investment strategies in detail through examples. Although artworks have been known to be valuable for centuries, the classification and acceptance of artworks as an asset class is a newer phenomenon that occurred in the last century. The operating mechanisms unique to the art markets evolved within the limits of the potential provided by the developing technology as financialization began to dominate all fields. This evolution brought the worlds of art and finance together in new practices. As changing economic conditions impacted different geographic regions simultaneously, creating fluctuations in markets, investors sought safe investments. Emerging at this moment, these new art market practices became an anchor for investors, presenting them attractive opportunities. Building upon the structures of hedge and private equity funds, art funds are portfolios put together to create profit through the acquisition of artworks. Largely and increasingly in developing economies, these funds provide opportunities for High-Net-Worth and Ultra-High-Net-Worth investors who want to invest in art as either as a major investment or a diversification factor in their portfolios. This study aims to examine the emergence and developmental stages of art funds under the influence of capitalism and globalization, as well as the art markets' unique dynamics and their transformation into new forms in light of the financial markets' simultaneous evolution with technology. Thus, this study will underline the details of the operating mechanisms of art funds and their investment strategies to contribute to future studies in the literature.
Evolutionary foundations of creative impulse and the judgments of aesthetic experience
The dissertation study titled "Evolutionary Foundations of Creation Instinct and Aesthetic Experience Judgments" is based on the hypothesis that "creative instinct and aesthetic experience judgments are based on evolutionary foundations". The aim of the study is to explain the survival and existential causality of artistic creation insight and aesthetic experience judgments on the evolutionary axis and to reveal the evolutionary cause and effect relationships between them. What are the evolutionary foundations that motivate the instinct of love and the instinct of creation? Is the theory of evolution that clarifies human nature in every field able to help explain the mechanisms that lead to artistic creation and the mechanisms that are effective in the development of our aesthetic perception? The dissertation study, which focuses on these questions, was developed with an interdisciplinary method by using art, biology and philosophy sciences. Visual and printed books and articles were read, and experiments and studies conducted with animals other than humans were examined. As a result, it has been observed that the judgment of appreciation and the desire to be appreciated, which are the basis of artistic actions, lie in the selection, and orientation and avoidance behaviors, which are the main behaviors of the survival and existential struggles of living beings. Keywords: Evolutionary Aesthetics, Color, Art, Selection, Sense, Perception, Aesthetics, Evolution, Appreciation, Beauty, Epigenetics, Genetics
Exhibition strategies of video works at Istanbul Biennials
The master's thesis titled "Exhibition Strategies of Video Works at Istanbul Biennials" includes the technological, social, and artistic events that pave the way for the use of video as an artistic expression, as well as the development of video art in the world and in Turkey, the determining factors in the exhibition of video art and the approaches used in the exhibition of video art at Istanbul Biennials. After the discovery of photography and cinema as a result of humanity's desire to record images, the introduction of magnetic image recording tools in the 1950s provided a unique structure that could affect the production processes of artists and while the use of television became widespread in those years, the development of video technology, which was a recording and display tool developed for use in television broadcasting, also showed parallelism with television. Video art was used by artists to criticize television broadcasting at a time when the effects of television became widespread, and later on, artists developed new strategies using the possibilities of video from different disciplines and perspectives. Since 1960, artists in different countries, especially in Europe, have started to use video as a means of expression and video has spread rapidly. In Turkey, the spread of video art coincided with the 1990s, and the interest of artists in video art increased in the 2000s. On the other hand, the elements to be considered in the exhibition of video art differed from the exhibition of traditional artworks due to the time and technology-based and dynamic nature of the video. In this respect, in addition to formal concerns, hardware and technical possibilities were decisive in the exhibition of video art, especially until the introduction of the first digital cameras in the mid-1990s. Although the use of imaging devices in displaying video art mostly depends on technological developments, factors such as the conceptual and formal relationship with the tool used in the demonstration of the work were also effective in determining the devices to be used. The unique space and image relations of the video have transformed the normative viewing conditions in the modernist white cube gallery space. Consequently, art institutions have started to create special spaces, which will be known as the black cube in the future, which are created by adhering to the codes and traditions of cinema. The examples of video art were exhibited for the first time at the 1992 - 3rd Istanbul Biennial, which aim to show the trends of contemporary art in Istanbul and open a space for discussions in this field. In this context, within the scope of the study, starting from the origins of video art and after the use of video as an artistic expression, different forms of expression have been revealed in order to provide a basis for the interpretation of the approaches used in displaying video art in the editions held until the 17th Istanbul Biennial; the development of video art in the historical process in the world and in Turkey has been examined through national and international events; the determining factors in the exhibition of video art are discussed. In the last part of the study, video works in the biennials were detected with the help of the Istanbul Biennial catalogs and guides, as well as the news in the printed and online media, and the approaches used in the exhibition were presented through examples.
The notion and use of space in the curatorial works of Başak Şenova
Mekân veya yer, çeşitli yaklaşımlarca farklı ele alınmakla beraber geniş bir çerçeve ile 'insanı çevreden belli bir ölçüde ayıran ve içinde eylemlerini sürdürmesine elverişli olan boşluk' ve 'sınırları gözlemci tarafından algılanabilen uzay parçası' olarak tanımlanabilir. Bu tez çalışmasında insanın mekân algısının küratörlükte nasıl bir kavram haline geldiği ve tarih boyunca sanat eserlerinin korunmasından sunulmasına kadar mekân kullanımının hangi evrelerden geçtiği ele alınmaktadır. Çalışmanın ilk bölümünde küratörlükte mekân kullanımı, mekân kavramı ve mekân tarihine değinilmiş, daha sonra sergiler için tarihte önemli bir kırılma noktası olan 'Beyaz Küp' öncesi ve sonrasındaki sergi mekânları incelenmiş ve mekân algısını etkileyen faktörler işlenmiştir. Halka açık sergi alanlarının 18. yüzyıldan günümüze kadar geçirdiği salondan Beyaz Küp'e ve açık alanlara kadar uzanan değişimi ve 19. yüzyıl'ın baskın sergi biçimi olan salon sergilerinde mekân kullanımına değinilmiştir. Çalışmanın ikinci bölümünde, bu tez çalışmasının hazırlanmasına esin kaynağı olan Başak Şenova'nın mekânı tasarlayışı ve mekân algısının ön planda olduğu işleri incelenmiştir. Başak Şenova bir küratör ve tasarımcıdır. Tasarımcı kimliğinin en baskın olduğu sergilerden örnekler verilerek izleyicinin mekân algısını nasıl tasarladığına değinilmiştir.
Istanbul Toy Museum in the historical context of Toy Museums
The history of toy museums, recognized as a novel phenomenon within the field of museology, encompasses their founding objectives, establishment narratives, societal contributions, and cultural variations. This research aims to compile these aspects into a comprehensive resource on toy museums, with a particular focus on the Istanbul Toy Museum.
Examining the weintraub model for the classification problem of ecological art
This thesis examines the classification challenges of ecological art through Linda Weintraub's integrative model. It emphasizes that key concerns of ecological art include the function of sustainability and the holistic relationship with the Earth. The study evaluates the model's potential to unify fragmented definitions and provide a comprehensive framework for understanding eco-art practices. Artists and movements are analyzed through this lens, highlighting the model's ability to reflect ecological multiplicity and aesthetic diversity without imposing rigid boundaries. In the first chapter, the foundational terms ecology and environment are defined, and the interchangeable use of these terms is addressed by exploring their similarities and differences. Their meanings as scientific disciplines and their influence on ideologies and social developments are also discussed. The second chapter focuses on the leading approaches to defining and classifying ecological art, comparing their similarities and differences. The third chapter explores interwoven art movements since the 1960s and the contributions of pioneering artists. In the fourth, fifth, and sixth chapters, the classification problem of artistic genres related to environment and ecology is analyzed through the model presented in Weintraub's 2012 book To Life!: Eco Art in Pursuit of a Sustainable Planet. This model is based on a deliberately limited selection of artists, respecting diversity in both artistic and ecological terms. It is considered to contribute to the literature by offering a unifying structure at points where ecological artworks share material, practice, and conceptual approaches. The study is based on a literature review method.
New technologies and NFT: Classification, challenges in the Türkiye online art market
The main purpose of this study is to delineate the boundaries of the online art market that has emerged with the new opportunities brought by contemporary technology. The similarities between the online and traditional art markets are explained through conventional marketing methods, while the differences are examined using digital marketing strategies. Digital marketing evolves with technological advancements and incorporates 'experiential marketing methods.' Just as traditional marketing methods benefit the conventional art market, the online art market—developing over time—adapts these experimental marketing methods in line with its sectoral traditions. From the emergence of Web 1.0 to the advent of Web 4.0, technological capabilities have expanded, from enabling internet use by art actors to the adoption of online platforms and, now, the exploration of metaverse spaces. This study explores the new challenges and opportunities technology has introduced to the art market, focusing on the creation and application of essential knowledge. The study provides clear definitions of the traditional and online art markets, presented in an updated table that includes global applications. This table serves as a framework for evaluating whether and to what extent Türkiye employs the same technologies concurrently. Through precise definitions of digital and experiential marketing, it is revealed that many so-called virtual museums and galleries function merely as online organizations. Consequently, the role of NFTs in the art market and the boundaries of the metaverse concept—topics that have gained popularity and sparked extensive discussion among researchers—are clearly defined.
Cevdet Erek'in eserlerinde ses sanatı ve ses enstalasyonu kavramları
Bu çalışma ile enstalasyon sanatı ve özelinde ses enstalasyon sanatı incelenerek, günümüzün bu sanattaki önemli temsilcilerinden olan Cevdet Erek'in geniş bir portresi sunulmuştur. Bu tez çalışması boyunca "neden enstalasyon sanatı günümüzdeki yoğun ilgisine kavuştu" sorusunun cevabı, "nasıl" sorusu üzerinden tarihi sürecin analizi yapılarak bulunmaya çalışılmıştır. Bu anlamda, karşımıza yeni teknolojik imkanlar, kavramsal sanatın ortaya çıkışı ve mekanın kullanılabilecek bir materyal olması özelliği ile birlikte, sanatçılara yepyeni imkanlar vadetmesi, neden sorusunun cevabı olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Mekan, çağdaş sanat için taze bir kan, yepyeni bir boyut gibi görülmüştür. Enstalasyon ve Ses enstalasyonuna, toplumu, şehirleri, çevreyi değiştiren teknolojik imkanlar, mekanı "verili" olmaktan çıkartıp, yaratılan ve manipüle edilebilen hale getirmesinin ürünüdür diyebiliriz. Bu anlamda, kapsayıcı ve çokça çeşit düşünceyi içinde barındırabilen bir sanat biçimidir. İşte Cevdet Erek'in hayatı, çalışmaları ve daha düşünsel, içsel dünyası bize bir enstalasyon sanatı temsilcisinin doğrudan kimliğini uyumlu bir şekilde yansıtmaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler: enstalasyon sanatı, ses enstalasyonu, kavramsal sanat, mekan, çağdaş sanat, Cevdet Erek
Contemporary art practices in Turkey between 1990-2020 in the context of relational aesthetics
This study aims to analyze contemporary art practices that took place in Turkey or executed by the artists of Turkish origin, realized in the last three decades, in the context of Relational Aesthetics. It attempts to take the Relational Aesthetics discourse further, highlighting the similarities and differences between realized works, with the purpose of creating a model for categorizing such works and generating an alternative history writing where works are grouped by a trait system developed for this particular project. The theory of Relational Aesthetics developed by Nicolas Bourriaud is introduced and discussed along with the presentation of opposing views by several theoreticians and art critics. Only the works that correspond to the criteria, in some or other degrees, are included in this study leaving all the other practices outside of the scope. Each work is distributed in the study possesses one or more of the traits being: 1) The Regulated Encounter, 2) Conviviality, 3) A Matter of Food, 4) Tete a Tete, 5) The Children, 6) The Act, 7) The Alteration, 8) The Recuperation, 9) The Placeholder, 10) Internal Affairs, 11) The Product, 12) Professional Play and 13) Collective Production. Also, each work is included in the chapter of the most apparent trait it possesses, while all of the relevant traits are given in footnotes and included in the statistical evaluation. The conclusion sums up the outcomes of the implementation of this trait system, displaying the statistical information along with the interpretation of the results and the reevaluation of the theory.
Hans Ulrich Obrist's curatorial practices at Serpentine Gallery between 2008-2020
This thesis titled "Hans Ulrich Obrist's Curatorial Practices at Serpentine Gallery Between 2008-2020" is mainly focused on understanding the curatorial practise through examination of a selection of exhibitions by Obrist during and before his Serpentine Gallery era. The starting point of the thesis is to contribute to the literature and to increase the focus on curator and curatorial practices such as theses focusing on artists' works. In this context, the first chapter explores the journey of curating in regards to its roots in history, e.g. various areas of work before contemporary art, while illuminating how it evolved to the present day. In the second chapter, Hans Ulrich Obrist's biography and works as a freelance curator are thoroughly described and his participation in the Serpentine Gallery is explained. In the third and last chapter, a selection review consisting of exhibitions by Obris at the Serpentine Gallery was presented, and Hans Ulrich Obrist's working principles as a curator are revealed in line with these exhibition analysis.
"Bad" Painting in contemporary art
Hereby this thesis titled "Bad" Painting in Contemporary Art explores the progress of the term "Bad" Painting from the late 1970s until today. The main focus of this thesis is the recent meaning of "Bad" Painting and its discourse that is started by curator Marcia Tucker in 1978. In other words, "Bad" Painting is a term and a curatorial discourse rather than an art movement. In this context, in chapter II, the term "Bad" Painting is analyzed in formal and conceptual sense and how the term was evolved in time is examined. In chapter III, the term was exemplified with the exhibitions that specifically include the term "Bad" Painting in their titles. In chapter IV, the continuity of the term "Bad" Painting in contemporary art was examined through contemporary artists and related exhibitions. As a result, the aim of this thesis is to re-examine the term of "Bad" Painting formally and conceptually and underline its continuity in contemporary art.
The work of Harald Szeemann- Curatorial theories and practices
Swiss curator Harald Szeemann, who developed his own way of expression, has held more than 150 exhibitions throughout his life. In the context of these exhibitions, he has highly contributed to the art history and exhibition techniques, besides become an owner of an extensive archive. As a result, Harald Szeemann's international exhibitions have created a new communication network in the context of artist, audience and curator triangle. Moreover, they have become a rich reference for many artists and curators from all around the world. Starting with the biography of Harald Szeemann, his selected exhibitions and his grand archive were examined in this thesis. In this context, Szeemann's professional and personal life were analyzed by prioritizing his special relationships with the artists.
The utility of encounter with art in the public sphere
In this dissertation, art emerges as an independent power of life that brings about new options to emancipate the human condition from the forces claiming immunity to change. The encounter with art puts forth art's potential to reveal liberty as a peculiar characteristic of humans relative to the human condition. There is an inverse relation between art and the objectification of art by forces external to it. The greater the emancipation of art in the public sphere, the more potent the transformative impact of that force for libertarian choices. The introduction puts forth the hypothesis of the dissertation and the methodology and a summary of developments and complications in public spheres. In Chapter 2, we cover the stages of public space and its analyses relative to the encounter with Art in two parts: In Part 1, we analyze the Public Sphere of Antiquity, the Medieval, and the Copernican Turn through philosophers Plato, Aristotle, Saint Augustine, Pico Della Mirandola, Hobbes, and Spinoza. In Part 2, we analyze the emergence of the Individual in the Social Contract and the public discourse in the coffee shops of London and salons of Paris. The impact of Enlightenment philosophers in Britain, France, and Germany in the formation of the Bourgeois Public Sphere is analyzed. The modern Public Sphere theories structured for consensus (Jürgen Habermas) and in radical divergences (Chantal Mouffe) are contrasted. Finally, we mention the new contemporary structures of the Public Spheres in digital platforms. In Chapter 3, we discuss the complications of encounter with art under the term "Objectification," an eclipse that hampers the emancipatory power of art. In the dissertation the objectification of art is analyzed in relation to time, sociopolitical realm, religion, ideology, public opinion, aesthetics, curatorial projects, language, and emerging new identities in digital platforms. In the contemporary world, a new complication soars with the technological revolution: On the one hand, the convergence of people brings more freedom and diversity than ever, as the pace of evolution in the public sphere is unparalleled and will test the resilience of art as a life force in new ways. On the other hand, the digital platforms allow a concentration of sameness and development of discourse, and judgment is based upon popularity in the sameness. The findings point to a resilient and robust bond between art and human liberty. The resolution of encounter with art is in the eyes and ears of the beholders. Thus, the objectification of art is a limitation on human liberty and a decaying act against human dignity. In Chapter 4, we convert our findings and observations into a mathematical formula illustrated simply as: y= f(1/x), where y stands for an independent path of emancipatory art and x for the forces impactful upon the limitations of art. The formula is also presented as the utility function of the encounter of art in the public sphere or, the function of human dignity before the objectification of liberty. Case studies follow the fourth chapter. We conclude that to use the lens of art is an emancipatory power of life with the potential to change the world. At the encounter, new visibilities grow into new possibilities and options for sensing the meaning of liberties, the value of self as human and the sense of being human that converges us all.
Site-specific sound installations in Turkish contemporary art
This thesis is concerned with the similar trends shared by sound installations within contemporary art practices and the expressions that emerged in this context. Alternative auditory spaces created by the sound medium in the field of plastic arts which is based on the act of seeing, and the art practices of the artists working on the sound medium that discuss the sound as a form have formed the theme of the text. This thesis, which examines the transformations that sound medium has undergone in the historical process through pioneering works, presents a chronological view of the use of sound as a medium in the history of art. In the site-specific sound installations in Turkish contemporary art section, that constitutes the main line of the thesis, the forms and expressions created by the sound medium in the art environments based on the act of seeing are examined. The fact that the physical conditions of the art environments are not compatible with the sound medium, and the fact that such environments are built on the act of vision has forced the artists who install the sound installations to follow site-specific strategies and tactics. While the kind of strategies followed by these studies, where sound installations are examined through site-specific practices, are analyzed, new forms of expression brought to contemporary art by the utilization of sound are conceptually discussed as well. This study aims to foster discussion of the new forms of expression that sound as an artistic form will bring to contemporary art as well as encouraging debate on the auditory potential of art space based on the act of seeing.
Understanding the approaches of millennials and generation z to art collecting and its impact on art market dynamics
This thesis explores the shifting paradigms within the visual art world driven by the emerging generations. Through a blend of sociological, cultural, and economic perspectives, the study delves into the evolution of art collecting from traditional paradigms to contemporary trends, with a focus on the influence of Millennials and Generation Z. The research is motivated by a curiosity about the changing dynamics of the art market and a desire to forecast its future trajectory. By examining the selection criteria of buyers, socio-cultural tastes, and the evolving perspectives of today's youth, the study aims to decipher the implications for future art production and sales. Drawing from a wide array of sources including published theses, books, journals, reports, and oral interviews, the thesis presents a comprehensive analysis of the subject. Notably, insights from eight art gallery representatives in Istanbul provide a valuable perspective on the local market dynamics. The findings highlight a notable shift in the art market, propelled by the preferences and behaviors of young collectors. With a blend of passion, status consciousness, and environmental awareness, Millennials and Gen Z collectors are reshaping the art landscape. Their digital fluency and preferences for easy access to art are driving galleries and institutions to adapt marketing approaches to attract this demographic. Furthermore, the thesis underscores the multifaceted role of art in contemporary society, ranging from aesthetic pleasure to a means of self-identity and investment. Through an exploration of historical trends and contemporary observations, the study sheds light on the transformative power of digitalization in the art world. In conclusion, the thesis fills a critical gap in the literature by offering a unique exploration of the evolving landscape of art collecting, driven by the emerging generations, and anticipates a future where the tastes and preferences of Millennials and Gen Z will shape the direction of the art market. By understanding their perspectives and adapting to their preferences, galleries and artists can navigate the evolving landscape and harness the potential of these dynamic generations.
Use of text in Fluxus
Fluxus was ignored and neglected in art historical studies in the 1970s and 1980s, and has a wide influence on contemporary art practices today employing performance, happening, text, and ready-made. Fluxus was an interdisciplinary movement in which text has been used excessively. This thesis presents a chronological examination of the use of text from the Arts and Crafts Movement to the emergence of Fluxus in the 1960s. It seeks to answer how the text has been used before Fluxus and how Fluxus artists used text regarding i) form ii) content iii) language use and display. Five Fluxus artists' text-based works were analyzed with close reading and literary analysis techniques. The findings have shown that Fluxus is a proto-conceptual movement, Fluxus artists use text in various forms and deconstructively, and poetically, use it as instructions for the realisation of performance, and use language as a tool to liberate from the logical and linear structure of language in order to be free from artistic categorizations. Keywords: Text art, Anti-art, Language and art, Fluxus, Fluxus and text use
Art policies and strategies in Istanbul's public space
Art Policies and Strategies in Istanbul's Public Space The present study starts with the definition of Jürgen Habermas' intensely discussed concept of public space as it is an area that is open to all individuals, irrespective of their gender, race, ethnicity, age, or socioeconomic status, where there are equal conditions between them, and the discussions are actualized in a safe and comfortable environment. It is vital to understand the public space notion and its worldwide history that resonates significantly with structural transformation of democratic society. In this context, collective interaction and cohesion encounters a significant manner of cultural development. Habermas defines the public sphere as the space where private individuals engage in reasoning, debate, and public opinion-forming activities on common concerns. Salons and coffeehouses were the spaces where publicity emerged. The existence, functions, and development of these places are vital for the existence of public space. Public art forms cultural identity and collective memory, engages people with their environment and addresses social issues. Moving art beyond traditional spaces like museums and galleries and into public areas like parks and streets enhances community development and meets the public's artistic needs more effectively. After September 1980, Turkish art market formations changed, leading to new exhibition practices. Diverse artistic approaches in public spaces are needed, especially in Istanbul. In this context, both the public and the authorities have a great role in the development of art in the public space. This thesis aims to contribute to the understanding of contemporary art practices in Istanbul by offering valuable insights into the dynamic interactions between art, public spaces, and institutional frameworks by examining the approaches, strategies and exhibition practices implemented in Istanbul's public space through local authorities, private institutions, and events such as the Istanbul Biennials. The thesis examines art exhibitions within art centers established by local authorities, since they are open to the public, and thus become public spaces. Keywords: Public Space, Art in Public Space, Public Art Exhibition, Istanbul