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TEMOIGNAGES, 2024
"Témoignages" is a series of installations inspired by "Şiddete karşı anlattılar - Ayakta kalma ve dayanışma deneyimleri" (They told their stories against violence - Experiences of survival and solidarity), a book first published in 2009 by Mor Çatı - Kadın Sığınağı Vakfı (Women's Refuge Foundation).
The book consists of testimonies from women who suffered male violence, spoke out against it and then met Mor Çatı. 15 women shared their experiences of violence, resistance and solidarity with other women, with women they knew would transform them into a common memory.
During the research process for the installation series, I had the opportunity to speak with volunteers working at Mor Çatı and authors who contributed to the book. In my interviews, I concluded that the book had been written with the aim of understanding the complexity and depth of violence against women, reflecting on the causes and consequences of violence, and developing effective strategies in the fight against violence. The stories told in the book are based on women's real-life experiences and reveal how violence is shaped and spread. In addition, the book analyzes in detail the obstacles women face when recovering from violence, and how they combat these obstacles. While Mor Çatı's shelter services and solidarity network help women to recover and build a new life in a safe environment, it also highlights society's role in combating violence. The book is intended as an important resource for understanding the roots of violence and taking action for social change, while encouraging women to support each other.
In this series, each installation is inspired by the stories of different women in the book, and aims to reflect the depth and diversity of these stories.
Each installation was created using the women's own expressions and experiences. As a result, the phrases featured on the installations come straight from the women's mouths. These phrases, written in Turkish, were expressed in the women's mother tongue, as it was important to reflect their experiences as accurately as possible and not to alter their way of expressing themselves.
The objects chosen for each installation are selected from the images that come to mind after the story to which they relate has been told. These objects attempt to express the women's emotions and experiences by deepening the story. The installations express the uniqueness and pain of the violence suffered by each woman, as well as the power of endurance and resistance by being exhibited as a whole.
The presentation of the series includes phrases in Turkish as well as translations to facilitate public understanding. However, the main aim of the exhibition is to enable women to make their voices heard in their own language, and to respect their experiences.
Installation, divers objects with writings on them
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