March – April 2025

“İnsan Nedir?” Issue is Now Available!

 

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
What is Human?
This month, we featured a still from "Human," a piece choreographed by British choreographer and dancer James Sutherland, featured in the Ankara Modern Dance Company (Ankara MDT) program at the State Opera and Ballet, on our cover.

In a world challenged by climate crisis, recurring wars, the winds of fascism sweeping the globe, and finally, artificial intelligence, the question "What is human, especially in the age of artificial intelligence we find ourselves in?" Sutherland, questioning a very valid issue, says, “When spiritual and physical capacities combine, depending on time and place, an incredible power emerges that propels us forward. For example, a mother whose child has been run over by a bus might unleash an extraordinary strength to save her child. Questions like, ‘How can they do this?’ and ‘Where does this power come from?’ lead us to the answer, ‘This is what makes us human.’ This potential can take us to a completely different level, with countless possibilities. Artificial intelligence is not at this level, and it never will be. This fascinated me, and I began to think about how I could express this in dance. That's how I came to the idea of ‘Human,’ and I thought it could be a wonderful dance performance. I hope that's what you see on stage…” Read the exclusive interview where he says, “MDT, established in Ankara in 1992 within the State Opera and Ballet General Directorate, with Beyhan Murphy as its general artistic director, has produced over 80 works by Turkish and international choreographers since its opening.” MDT, under the artistic direction of Bürge Kayacan, continues its performances and domestic and international tours, with periodic performances at the Ankara Opera House and new works added to its repertoire each year.

Dr. Fırat Arapoğlu's article, "On Ahmet Güneştekin's Lost Alphabet Exhibition," questions whether Güneştekin's art truly opens up a new critical space by bringing the past into the present, or whether it merely functions as a tool of cultural capital that transforms art into a luxury item.

In her article, "Diversity in Art, Trump, and the White Man Among Us," Sine Ergün examines how Trump's decrees and rhetoric during his brief tenure in the US threaten the field of culture and arts in terms of diversity, equality, and inclusivity. Similar policies are observed in various forms in many countries where conservatism is on the rise. She asks, "In these times when minority rights, the foundation of diversity in art, are at risk, is the "white man" among us also siding with Trump?" As spring approaches, we're bringing you some very important exhibitions. The exhibition "A Route at the Edge of the Mind," curated by Ebru Nalan Sülün at the Erimtan Archaeology and Art Museum with support from Bor Sanat, focusing on Fikret Muallâ's creative periods, and the articles on the Ömer Uluç retrospective at Istanbul Modern, written with exquisite prose by Evrim Altuğ, are insightful.

The feature, "Artificial Intelligence in Art: The Future or a Threat?" by Sine Ergün, delves into the topic with experts in the field.

In this issue, we've compiled topics we believe will inspire and broaden your horizons. May you have an inspiring spring, fueled by the transformative power of art.

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