Performances from Andriake-Demre (Part2)
Below is a selection of some of the performances created and presented to the audience at the site of Andriake / Lycian Civilisations Museum. The first edition of ‘Workshops and Performance Event Series’ of the Performative Journey action was called ‘Testimonies of Stones’ and took place in the district of Demre, Antalya (Turkey) between 15.09.2021 and 19.09.2021.
(photos by: Volkan Tamusta / Videos by Pawel Korbus)
Melisa Kurtuluş – In Praise of Shadows
‘My starting point was “How can i explore the possibility of another relationship between historical site and my body-soul and mind under shadow of knowledge?” I focused on prayer halls where visitors left a lot of different emotions. Church A was located on an old Roman necropolis. Layers of feelings and knowledge, gradually I begin to turn into a “stone” in this space. I used shadow dance as a metaphor. In many cultures shadow is a symbol of the invisible, dark side of reality. It makes us afraid, awakens our imagination, inspires us to interpret what we see. I am standing on a cemetery and not just a stone on this wall I am also witness of this hall I’ve been living here for thousands of years with dancing of shadows on me. Shadow and light They always find exist on each other So I found my presence through dance of my shadow. we are praying with dancing prohibition and restrictions on body Testimony of hope, pain, love, life and death cubiculum Andriake history is deeply rooted in glorious imperfection. strike dancing up with my shadow, the bans are lifting with we are giving a birth new holistic gods.’
‘Character of the unusual birdlike creature was used to catch audience attention in order to fulfill the performative guiding task. Birdlike creature was as well a reminder that archeological site co-exists with the bird sanctuary just next to it.’
‘The point of this performance was trying to find the answer. But trying to find the right answer is also connected to the right question. My point was all about questioning the question itself. The red rope was a symbol of a game and also a connection to the childhood or the beginning. I was trying to find the answer while playing a game. And the question can be here belonging somewhere is something we need or it’s just a theory that society made up. Or maybe we just don’t need to belong somewhere but trying to adjust ourselves to territories. Literally still and will always questioning these questions while like a playing game.’
Nergiz Nazlar – Femina at the Altar
‘When she appeared at the altar her wicked story has begun. She became the target for the desirous rage of the male gaze. At that moment her lips, breasts, vulva and each part of her body was striped away from her. A whisper asked her, “What is a being separated from the body?” She said, “Seems nothing but the soul, however, can soul still breathe?” She desperately began to cover her body with yards of fabrics over and over again. But the shocking intruder, the feeling of endless shame swept her identity away. One day in the midst of a blind alley, she decided to get rid of her repetitious twinges out. She finally resurrected herself from her alienated breath and gave the fabricated placenta to the male. She said, “Take it! Now it’s your turn to cover and heal your reckless gaze.’
#viaeurasia #performative journey #avrasyayolu #mitost #sitespecific #performanceart #cultureroutessociety
