.: An Islamic Pattern Engraved and Painted By The Government
I've created this work regarding the riots in Iran after the murder of Mahsa Amini by the government (2022). Also, the coup attempt in Turkey (2016) uncovered the colossal danger of the Islamic cult that wants to make an Islamic reform and take over the state. Among these dire events, objects take the role of being symbols or are surprisingly used for new purposes than the initial purposes. As always, most of the symbolic ones are clothes that separate power levels or indicate obedience. Some everyday objects like scissors and soft drink bottles became powerful protest tools. Some "transforming" ways show my viewpoint of the objects and my approach to the subject. All these objects with new uses and new meanings blend in with each other to create an Islamic pattern. When we take a step back to see the pattern as a whole, it shows us what an Islamic pattern looks like when it is engraved and painted by a government.
Head scarf of women Unlike the initial purpose of the headscarf, it's being used by the government as a tool of domination in Iran. It has become a tool the religious state uses as an overwhelming method to make its power felt in every moment of life. It is not surprising that women are the most directly affected by social injustices.
Turban of men Turban is an accessory created due to climatic conditions erstwhile similar to headscarves. In Iran, it represents Islamic state administrators and their subjects (mullahs). Protestors started to throw mullahs' turbans off on the Iran streets as a part of the protests.
Scissor Mahsa Amani was beaten to death by the morality police on the pretext that she did not follow the hijab rules, which her hair was showing under her headscarf. Protest against due to women's hair turned into an issue of killing people for it, women began cutting their hair with simple general-purpose scissors. The general-purpose scissors on the website of the Iranian grocery chain is the same as the scissors with which women cut their hair at the protests.
Soft drink bottle of "Zemzem" brand "Zemzem" is the name of the holy water in Islam. And also, it's a soft drink brand name in Iran. Kids secretly turn Zemzem bottles into Molotov cocktails in school gardens for the protesters. Transforming these bottles creates a scene that looks like holy water turns into fire and rains over Islamic state law enforcement.
Iran policemen and their uniform Uniforms and the epaulets of the Iranian police make us question again the function of policemen and the meaning of law enforcement.
Rope knots; It was the most difficult part for me to put rope knots into this work. I took the image from a book that teaches to make knots for marines. Such purposes should have been the only way to use a rope. However, they have been used to take the lives of beautiful, young people in Iran to create fear of the state.
A hand sculpture that refers to the leader of the cult. It was known that the cult, which attempted a coup to establish an Islamic state in Turkey, spread to various state levels for many years and directed the young people it had trained in their schools to state cadres. In one of the sect schools that were raided after the coup attempt, a secret room was found which the graduates pledged their loyalty. it was revealed that, at the oath of allegiance ceremony, the graduates kissed a hand statue that allegedly belonged to the cult leader.
Turkish council seat The most major supporter of the sect in the long years until the clash of forces and the coup attempt was the party that currently runs the government.
