Project Archive: http://momentofagency.blogspot.com/

2 November 2008 : Kunstmuseum Bern, Switzerland
http://www.kinokunstmuseum.ch/content/read/thema169.html
4 November 2008 : Kunsthalle Basel, Switzerland
http://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/events/filme#341

Artists: Nevin Aladag, Isil Egrikavuk, Ayse Erkmen, Esra Ersen, Ozlem Gunyol & Mustafa Kunt, Emre Huner, Sefer Memisoglu, Erinc Seymen, Asli Sungu

Moment of Agency refers to a double state of production: the process of art production and the process of communication with the audience (exhibiting, displaying the art work). That is to say, the moment of agency is the act or the time the artist takes while producing his/ her work; on the other hand, the moment of agency underlines the certain amount of exterior interest upon the work of art and the responsibility that is assigned to the artist in order to fulfill the expectations. The relational dialect of the surrounding implements the impossibility of an artwork being produced in isolation to personal, socio-cultural and political events. Each work of art includes influences from the surrounding and produces reflections, which vary according to each artists practice.

Large scale events, such as biennials, festivals, art fairs appear to be the times when a country is expected to represent the artistic production taking place, the focus shifts on the artist and his/her unique work. In the classical sense, the work of art gets to be analyzed under magnifying glasses to make a decision of appropriation. For a contemporary approach, besides the predefinitions and presumptions on what an artwork from a certain artistic background can bring, it will be more challenging, but at the same time more open, to free ourselves from those prejudgements and leave the decision making to the unique encounter with the work of art.

This project aims to discuss and reflect on the norms of agency and artist as a mediator of imagery and as a catalyst of meaning production. The content that is evoked in the title reflects the positioning of a certain artistic stance of the Turkish artists living and working in various cities such as Istanbul, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Amsterdam, Milano and Chicago.