Politics and contemporary art after 2000 in Turkey

This study examines the effects of the current political climate by tracing the political in Turkish art after 2000. It is claimed that artists have a significant role in shaping the society they live in; therefore, their contributions to the art environment along with the impact of political discourse on their art will be discussed in detail. Since 2000s, the concept of change has become an undeniable fact in our lives. Turkey has also had its share of this transformation. The military coup d'etat of 1980, the effects of the stratocracy that followed it and the social issues of the 1990s have all been influential in the design of the 2000s. Therefore, this study will focus on the zeitgeist of this period as well. Another topic to be discussed in this thesis is the aesthetic perception of the 2000s. With this in mind, Nicolas Bourriaud's concept of Relational Aesthetics and Jacques Rancière's philosophy will be addressed. Some of the critical discourse embracing contemporary art practises focus on the political in art. Therefore, artistic freedom will be another topic in the study.