Işıl Eğrikavuk

The Art of Disagreement, 2016

4 mins 41 secs

The Art of Disagreement (2016) brings together 30 performers in the gallery space, reading, singing, dancing and fist-fighting, all to explore the topic of political disagreement.

Referring to the political process in Turkey in the recent years, in which the country's major four parties can not agree to make a new constitution, to build a coalition or even simply have a constructive public debate. The performance asks these questions "Is it possible to accept disagreement and civilize it? Can one benefit from a conflict and learn from it? Or is disagreement equal to rage and chaos?”

A fictional story of a king, written by Eğrikavuk, excerpts from research in critical and psychological thought and Turkey’s Constitutional Reconciliation Commission’s reports are all accompanied by movements of the performers based on politicians’ gestures. The performance also includes free dessert for the audience, Kaymaklı Ekmek Kadayıfı, a traditional one that becomes a celebratory gesture in itself.