Gokcen Dilek Acay

Animal Furniture

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  wood part / legs

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  wood parts / legs

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  hair part

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My Research Concept

My research concentrates on the role of the animal in a human dominated world. The work examines, how animals are represented in the so-called creative or cultural economy.

The emphasis lies in the aesthetic and symbolistic presentation and its function in art. The paper describes the circumstances of the animals phenomenology. The task is to analysis, how the animal finds its place in the human design world. From the first cave drawings, circuses and cartoon, to contemporary art, the allegory of animals will be investigated. The examination focuses the topic both from the moralistic and philosophical view, as well as from an artistic approach. Since when man divides himself from the beast? How is the evolution of the human related to the animal in his culture? The interest grows from the urge to uncover the representation of the animal related to the human in an artistic, scientific and theological way. The motive is not only inspired by an artistic or aesthetic thinking, but also by a critical perspective of society, how animals are absorbed in the human universe.

Questions will border the topic and will center the unclear status of the animal in contemporary art. Is man destructive by nature? How is the human related to the nature? The questions are orientated to the dilemma of the advantages of modern life and the bond (moralistic) catastrophes. Are there moralistic views on the topic that doubt the use of animals in art? Are there ethical norms that allow animals to take part in art? If it is possible, what are the criteria? What character could this have in contemporary art? And are there objective answers to such subjective questions? How did events, like wars, revolutions and industrialization influence the social evolution of mankind. How did the role of the animal changes in this discussion? Could speciesism function as a basis for this kind of questions? For centuries the animalistic existence, its identity and symbolistic representation are triggering inspiration. Man and animal are bond from the beginning. This connection is found in all parts of society, in religion as well as in science. This work will reflect the moralistic question between animal, human and nature.

As an Artist I want to research the connecting points of developing technology and nature in an artistic way. In the past years power, violence and authority were the matter of my artistic creations. With this work I want to externalize the connection between political and human violence against oneself and others, as well as against animals. I will vivisect violence as an instrument of anthropocentrism, with the help of diverse examples. My aim is the approach of artist and pieces of art to animals, in the meaning of speciesism in contemporary art, and to understand the animals influence on the viewer and the discourse.

I want to interconnect the findings of art specific and political thinking, to reflect it in contemporary art and applied forms of expression. The main issue is the power of man over beast in different social contexts and its translation into art work.