The meaning of 'being political': an analysis of 'artist initatives' in İstanbul

Abstract

The emergence of ‘artist initiatives’ represent a new form of collective organization in the contemporary art scene in Turkey. In the media, they have acquired news value and framed as a link between creativity and ‘being political’. With the use of culture as a resource in the era of neoliberalism, this thesis aims to analyze the three distinct factors, which lend specific content and meaning to the idea of ‘being political’ in Istanbul’s art scene. Firstly the historical and institutional constitution of the art field in Turkey during the past two decades of neoliberalism; secondly the discursive framings of actors in this field on this subject and thirdly the growing linkages with transnational networks of artists and activists.