Fluid genders in contemporary Turkish art within a queer framework

This study examines the representations of fluid genders in the context of queer perspectives within contemporary art practice. Framed by queer theory, the research emphasizes that gender is not a fixed biological reality but rather a performance continuously reproduced through social and cultural processes. The theoretical framework of the study is shaped by Judith Butler's theory of performativity, Michel Foucault's analysis of power and normative structures, and José Esteban Muñoz's conceptualization of queer futurity. Focusing on how gender and queer identities are represented in contemporary art in Turkey, this thesis offers a comprehensive evaluation through feminist art, postmodern aesthetics, identity politics, and art activism. In this context, the works of artists such as, Nilbar Güreş, Hakan Sorar, and Ahmet Rüstem Ekici are analyzed to explore the existence and evolution of queer art in Turkey. The study aims to demonstrate how queer aesthetics challenge traditional artistic norms, highlight the fluidity of identities, and reposition the body within spatial contexts. The analysis of artists and artworks reveals that queer art is not merely an individual form of expression but also a crucial part of political and social transformation.