Forms of sexuality in contemporary art in the context of Queer theory

In Turkey, Works on sexuality in the contemporary art scene began to emerge in the late 1990s and early 2000s. With the inclusion of sexuality in contemporary art, all kinds of sexuality, including non-normative sexuality have become topics in art. In this period, the first examples of LGBT art also emerged through homoeroticism. Queer theory began to be discussed in the academic circle in Turkey in the 2000s, and shortly thereafter, Queer theory began to find its place in contemporary art. New-generation artists who started producing art after 2010 began to take Queer concepts such as Queer bodies and sexuality as their focus. This study focuses on non-normative sexuality and evaluates these Works from a Queer perspective to examine the relationship between Queer sexuality and these works. In evaluating forms of sexuality in contemporary art within the context of Queer theory, the position of non-normative sexuality in contemporary art is also revealed. This study first explains Queer theory in detail by focusing on its emergence. Secondly, it explores the history of the LGBTI+ movement in Turkey and its struggle. Then, it describes the relationship between the LGBTI+ movement and Queer theory in Turkey. The formation of LGBT art and the possibilities of Queer in contemporary art are also discussed. The fourth section, which is the main topic of this thesis, evaluates the forms of sexuality in contemporary art from a Queer perspective, focusing on works of artists who produce works on non-normative sexuality. In conclusion, this study reveals the representation of non-normative sexuality, Queer sexuality, LGBTI+, and Queer in contemporary art, and the limits of this representation.