Sunday, April 13, 2008

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENT ARTISTS AND ART WORKERS

THE ITALIAN ARTISTS PIPPA BACCA AND SILVIA MORO SET OUT FROM ITALY TO REALIZE A TROUBLESOME PERFORMANCE IMPLEMENTING THEIR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AS PART OF THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE POWER THEY RECEIVED FROM THE POSITION ART HAS REACHED IN THE WORLD TODAY. THEY WERE WEARING WHITE WEDDING GOWNS SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR THIS TASK, WITH THIS SYMBOLIC OUTFIT THEY WANTED TO REFLECT THEIR PEACE MESSAGE ON THE PERMANENT STATE OF WAR IN THE WORLD AND ESPECIALLY IN OUR REGION. THEY PASSED BY BALKAN COUNTRIES, COMMUNICATING THEIR MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE THEY MET ALONG THE WAY, AND ENTERED TURKEY.

THE ISTANBUL ART SCENE EMBRACED THEM, SUPPORTED THEIR PERFORMANCE AND SAW THEM OFF TO ANATOLIA, WHERE THEIR DIFFICULT AND PERILOUS JOURNEY TO ISRAEL SHOULD HAVE PROCEEDED. SILVIA MORO COULD ONLY COMPLETE THIS JOURNEY UNTIL ISKENDERUN, IN TURKEY; PIPPA BACA’S ROUTE ENDED IN A TRAGIC DEATH.

AS THE ART SECENE IN ISTANBUL, WE SEE THIS INCIDENT FROM TWO PERSPECTIVES:

IT IS A GREAT NECESSITY IN TURKEY TODAY TO CARRY OUT ARTISTIC ACTIONS QUESTIONING, INTERPRETING AND CRITICIZING THE EXISTING ORDER; BECAUSE THE INTELLECTUAL AND SPIRITUAL WORLD OF THE TURKISH PEOPLE IS EXTREMELY CORRUPTED BY TRIVIAL DAILY POLITICS AND THE UNPRODUCTIVE AND RESTRICTIVE DISCOURSES OF POLITICIANS AND STATE MECHANISMS. CONTEMPORARY ART ACTIONS ARE ONE OF THE RARE FIELDS THAT OPENS THE DOORS OF THOUGHT, INTERPRETATION AND CRITICISM. IN THIS CONTEXT, THE STATE AND LOCAL ADMINISTRATIONS MUST IN ALL RESPECTS SUPPORT CONTEMPORARY ART PRODUCTION AND ACTION. THE MURDER OF PIPPA BACCA, AN ARTIST WHO WAS A GUEST IN OUR COUNTRY, MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO DROP FROM THE AGENDA.

PIPPA BACCA IS A FEMALE ARTIST. AND TODAY WE FACE A VERY CRITICAL REALITY. IN TURKEY EVERY DAY WOMEN ARE KILLED BY MEN. THE DARKNESS OF THE PRIMITIVE MALE DOMINATED SYSTEM WHICH PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR THIS DETERMINATION TO DESTROY WOMEN HAS SETTLED OVER THIS COUNTRY. PIPPA BACCA IS ONE OF THE MOST RECENT VICTIMS OF THIS PERVERSION.

THE ART SECNE OF ISTANBUL FEELS DEEP SADNESS AND INDIGNATION. WE WILL NOT LET THIS MURDER BE FORGOTTEN AND WE WILL CONTINUE THE NECESSARY ACTIONS.

WE OFFER OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF PIPPA BACCA. WE APOLOGIZE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ART WORLD FOR FAILING TO PROTECT PIPPA.

SIGNED BY:

THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ART CRITICS, TURKEY SECTION (AICA TURKEY)

EUROPEAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION (EUROPIST)

LAMBDA ISTANBUL LGBT SOLIDARITY ASSOCIATION

UPSD (THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR PLASTIC ARTS)

GALLERY NEV

MACKA ART GALLERY

BIS (BODY-OPERATIONAL ARTISTS ASSOCIATION)

19 JANUARY COLLECTIVE

NEW SOLUTIONS FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN

HAFRIYAT
ARTIK MEKAN

THE APARTMENT PROJECT

KAOS GL

PEMBE HAYAT/PINK LIFE LGBT SOLIDARITY ASSOCIATION

ÇATI CONTEMPORARY DANCE ARTISTS ASSOCIATION

Open Space Zentrum für Kunstprojekte

ASK (EURASIA ART COLLECTIVE)

ISTANBUL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY GRADUATES ASSOCIATION