Contemporary art is provocative. It focuses on the problems of society. It is pluralist and it draws its inspiration from life. That is what Turkish contemporary artist Şükran Moral, who is known for her extraordinary and provocative works, does in most of her works.
Moral once crucified herself and exhibited it in Italy; she showed a bloody vagina in Turkey at one of her exhibitions; she married three men and photographed the processes.
Moral once again chose to be one of the most provocative artists and made love with a female partner during her latest performance “Amemus” (Lovemaking) last Thursday at the Casa Dell Arte Gallery in Istanbul.
Guests at the event, who had no idea what they were about to see, were shocked when a young woman, wearing only a g-string and bra, got onto a bed on the stage and started to have sex with the artist Moral, who was wearing the same.
Moral did that because she wanted to draw attention to the suppressed emotions of some people in society. However, some columnists from different Turkish dailies criticized this performance very harshly and rudely. Some columnists did not even count this performance as an art event.
However, it was the opposite for Moral. She said the purpose was to bring a new expression to the language of performance art and of course to break taboos. Her goal was to annoy the viewers of the performance. She said she does not want to make a performance that does not annoy people and make them excited and confused.
Moral added that she has always had a problem with taboos in all her performances. Sexuality is one of the fields banned by governments, according to Moral. Making love in this performance is an artistic event. It is not a “sexual show” but a discussion of a moral problem.
Because of the reactions and for security reasons, Moral has canceled her accompanying exhibition.
It is a fact that this kind of performance would attract attention in every country and not only in Turkey. There are other examples in the world of provocative art, such as Tracey Emin’s art works. Emin’s My Bed — an installation consisting of her own unmade dirty bed with used condoms and blood-stained underwear – drew attention. In 2004, her tent artwork was destroyed in the Momart warehouse fire.
Now there is a new discussion on art in Turkey; people are against others who criticize art. However it is sometimes a good thing to criticize. It opens new dimensions and new perception, because without discussing it, nothing seems real.