The art historiography in Turkey between 1970 and 2010

The idea of the modern nation-state was established in 1923 by the foundation of the Republic of Turkey, resulting in a nationalist perspective within art historical scholarship. The Westernization policies that have long been employed supported the Eurocentric model, and adhered to a worldview based on the notion of "progress" in the historiography of art. During the 1970s, the Postmodern theory was originated in Western Europe and North America, primarily influencing the disciplines of history, sociology and philosophy. This was a time where historical "truth" and the notion of impartiality of the historian were challenged, suggesting the possibility of different historical realities and that the historical narratives are subjective. Having impacted the way people think about the historical past, the Postmodern theory has since transformed the models and the methods of the history. In addition to the West, this theory has also influenced a number of academic disciplines in Turkey, including the history of art.This thesis aims to critically examine a selection of art historical narratives in the period between 1970 and 2010. This examination endeavours to address the components of each art historical narrative, including ideologies and sources, discourses, historical models and timelines, language and terminology. This is attained through exploring the narratives with the historical discourse analysis method and from a range of perspectives including the theories of Nationalism, Feminism, Orientalism and Postcolonialism.The research evaluates the departure from the influence of a single art historical model and its affiliated discourse, the discursive re-production of the identity of the "other", the re-evaluation of the binary oppositions related to the notion of "progress", the transformation of the language, the historical forms and methods, and how the art historical and temporal perception of Turkey within itself has changed between the years 1970 and 2010. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to link the academic studies examined in pre-1970 art historiography, and to provide a critical reading of art historical knowledge production since 1970.