Music, Dance Combine in Anti-Censorship Performance
Headline Image: Sansür means censorship in English
In 2011, the government of Turkey has banned 138 words from the domain name website.
Any website containing these words have been banned in Turkey.
www.donanimalemi.com and www.sanaldestekunitesi.com have been blocked after 2011 because they contain “animal” and “anal” words.
Anal / Biseksüel / erotik / eskort / fantezi / fetiş / jigolo / homoseksüel / külot / lezbiyen / lolita / mastürbasyon / oral / orgazm / penis / seks / sperm / travesti.
French performance artist Margaux Aubin and musician Eren Dönmez to carry out an artistic performance critical of censorship by combining music and dance in the venue Coop in İstanbul’s Taksim this Monday at 10 p.m. within the scope of "Günlük Süt" (Daily Milk) event.
We’ve spoken with Aubin on the intention of the performance, censorship and gender issues she faced as an artist.
What is the intention of the performance? Why did you choose the topic of censorship?
I am an engaged artist in feminism and social issues.
I had done a work few months ago, a video for a web magazine based on censorship. When I did some research, I’ve run into the information that the government of Turkey has censorshiped 138 words in 2011 and some websites using those words. So I decided to create an electronic sample song using 18 of those words, I picked the ones in common in Turkish and French.
When I did some research, I’ve run into the information that the government of Turkey has censorshiped 138 words in 2011 and some websites using those words. So I decided to make an electronic sample song using 18 of those words. I picked the ones that are same in Turkish and French.
Is it your first performance based on censorship in Turkey?
No, I performed last year on the İstiklal street.
I studied religions, cultures and societies related to hair (especially woman’s hair and their sacralization). In many cultures, hair represents privacy and sexuality. For this reason, some married women have to keep their hair back because hair is considered as a way to seduce men. Some widows have to even shave their heads after the death of their husband because they have no reason to be attractive anymore.
In most religions, women have to hide their hair in order to not attract men's attention.
For me, this sentence is an excuse for legitimate rape.
Why don’t we ask men to control their sexual urges instead of asking women to hide themselves?
If we flatten our chest, if we shave our hair to look like a man, will we be able to live a serene life? Will we stop to worry about daily harassment ?
Everyone has the idea at the back of their mind “she must have deserved it” in this or that way. Unfortunately, this is pretty much the same all over the World. The main issue is, men don’t know the difficulties women go through.
You argue that some men behave in this way because they have no idea what being a woman is and how women feel. How do you know it? Do men come over and ask you about it?
Few days after WhOMAN performance, I argued with a man who told me « it’s not because the man have the tool to rape a girl it means all the men are rapists » ; he got the exact opposite of my message. I told him the women are educated by our societies with the idea we can be raped once in our life, I ask him to talk to woman : his wife, his daughter, his aunt, his cousin, no matter just to become aware of how do we live in the other side. I just wanted to make him realized it’s not normal to format our behavior according to where we go in case something happen it « might » be our fault, we should not go out with such clothes or alone. The society makes us feel guilty of our attacks, we are not victims because we deserved it in a way.
Let’s get back to your upcoming performance. What kind of awareness are you intending to raise?
I’m going to perform with a musician, Eren Dönmez. We will make a hole music on stage. When I will say the censorship words, he will registered my voice and mix it to create a good music, I will dance too. I want people to realize the gravity of the censorship issue but getting it in a sarcastic and funny way.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Come on Monday! (TK)
* Photo: Batuhan Yıldız