By BEYZA KURAL
bianet.org
Artists seeking answer to question “What should be done for the sake of peace, humanity, environment, future, and environment?” upon Independent Art Initiative’s call has released their final declaration.
Tens of artists gathering on August 28 commented the policies of current system and governorship as unacceptable. They agreeing on art to raise its voice by demands for freedom in every aspect of life have developed a common attitude. They have called for all the artists to struggle for peace via the statement signed by 83 artists.
“We uphold value of life”
In the artists’ joint manifesto, following statements shone out:
“War and fascism once again have become a part of daily life. It has fallen to lot again to establish perpetual peace against all alienating policies. We uphold the value of life because life is on our side.
“War used by rulers as an armor affects most poor and laborers. We are now facing the same plot. The governorship finding itself the right to attack every aspect of life has waged war against birds, beetles, trees, women, children and laborers.
“While Turkey’s peoples were believing that they would find a greater peace and tranquility atmosphere after June 7 [parliamentary elections] and made their electoral choices accordingly, this system and governorship with the greed of having a one man system has again stepped/stepping up to commit actions as if taking revenge against Kurdish peoples ruthlessly as they have done for years. This attack is carried out on every Turkish peoples in the person of Kurdish peoples.”
“Let us turn street into symbol of peace”
“We believe art needs to respond to the question ‘What should we, the artists, do in this situation to oppose these conditions?’ within the scope of art’s social mission. We are not in pursuit of a new definition in art’s stance towards such social instances and processes. We say enough is enough to present governorship that oppresses art, human, environment, and peace.
Let us turn the streets, neighborhoods, streets into a symbol of peace with our sedges, vocals, plays, dances, brushes. ‘Art has the power to build an honorable life! We know it…Art has never been an audience only! We know it…” (BK/TK)
Signatories:
Mezopotamya Culture Center, Ayışığı Art Center, Research Foundation for Science Education Aesthethics Culture Art (BEKSAV), Seed Culture Center, Shadow Art and Culture Center, Orhan Alkaya, Nur Sürer, Tolga Sağ, Ertan Tekin, Ferhat Tunç, Yusuf Çetin, Pınar Aydınlar, Metin Boran, Abdal haluk Tolga İlhan, Aydın Sayman, Mirza Metin, Metin Çelik, Ali Baran, Gökçe Selim, Emeğe Ezgi, Nurcan Değirmenci, Serhat Kural, Rugeş Kırıcı, Grup İsyan Ateşi, Gölgedekiler, Özlem Gerçek, Hasan Ali, Erdoğan Emir, Grup Vardiya, Kenan Yersiz, Kenan Ceylan, Yılmaz Karaboğa, Selahattin Şeyben, Şölen İnce, Filiz Göze, Zeynep Kınay İpek, Nazlı Masatçı, Ensar Albağlar, Erdal Avcı, Gıyasettin Şehir, Bülent Turan, Hüseyin İldan(genim), Fadıl Öztürk, Cengiz Sağlam, Deniz Sal, Baran Demir, Erol Berxwedan, Mesut Med, Deniz Esmer, İnan Söker, Duygu Bozkurt, Caner Özbek, Zafer Ayden, Mehmet Esatoğlu, Baran Bozyel, Ebru Su, Özlem Bağlayan, Aydın Orak, Mücahit Ardahan, Aydın Sayman, Aziz Çapkurt, Rojda Şükran Karaş, Şenay Tanrıvermiş, Alev Topal, Şahhanım Kanat, Kadriye Kurt, Selah Özakın, Kemal Oruç, Özgür Akdemir, Çetin Ok, Kamer Yıldız Ok, Ferit Can, Rodem Bingöl, Peri Adalmış, Güler İnce, Yaşar Gündem, Hasan Işık, Mehmet Demir, Aydın Bağardı, Selçuk Durak, Ali Doğan Gönültaş, Damla Özen Kılıçoğlu, Ferit Elalmış.