Feminist manifestos and their reflections in Turkish art: The interaction of Tomur Atagök's works with feminist ideology

This thesis aims to examine the effects of feminist manifestos and feminist ideology on Turkish painting and to reveal how this effect took shape through the works of Tomur Atagök. Feminist movements, which gained strength in the second half of the 20th century, brought about a comprehensive transformation in art regarding female identity, gender equality, and the representation of women. The reflections of feminist thought in art in Turkey developed in parallel with developments in the West; feminist theory became more prominent in art practice, especially after the 1980s. In this context, Tomur Atagök is among the important artists who integrated feminist ideology into her works and defined the female figure as a strong, independent subject. Traces of feminist manifestos appear in Atagök's works in the form of transforming traditional representations of women, removing the female body from its passive object status, and reconstructing female identity through concepts of resistance, power, and subjectification. The thesis examines the historical development of feminist thought, its impact on Turkish art, and how feminist discourse has been integrated into artistic practices. The transformation in art brought about by feminist movements, which gained momentum in the West starting in the 1960s, has created a critical space for examining female identity and gender roles. In Turkey, during the same period, female artists' productions that reinforced feminist discourse increased, and artistic sensitivity to gender-based issues became visible. The evaluation of feminist themes in Atagök's works offers an important perspective for understanding the contributions of feminist ideology to Turkish painting.