CONTACT INFO
BOGAZICI RESISTANCE
2021
BOUNSERGİ art collective began with an open call on social media, ''inviting all art home,'' with "home" referring to the campus. Those interested in contributing to the protests within the context of Bogazici Resistance, were encouraged to share their relevant artworks.
Under the collective identity of BOUNSERGİ, they successfully gathered over 400 artworks from 150 artists worldwide for their protest-art exhibition. An additional 300 pieces from diverse artists enriched the second exhibition, displaying a spectrum of concepts and mediums. Using a self-established budget, they published these digital visuals on weatherproof vinyl material, offering flexibility in their display.
Initially comprising eight members, the collective expanded to over fifty during installation, thanks to student engagement in various initiatives. The collective’s objective was to provide a platform for artistic expression, welcoming artists who had previously lacked opportunities to showcase their work. As the appointed rector remained hidden, their art occupied public space, preparing grounds for a confrontation with dissenting perspectives he had avoided.
The three-day protest-art exhibition served as a platform for diverse protests, utilizing subversive tactics through punk and rock concerts, choirs, dance exhibitions, raves, comedy, games, and lectures by queer performance artists. Despite police blockades, the participants maintained a tradition of dressing up for resistance, amplifying speakers, and collectively marching through barricades. As queer individuals, their resistance was inherently existential, emphasizing visibility against the backdrop of grey, weaponized police.
MANIFESTO
We—BOUNSERGİ, a group of queer individuals—believe that freedom of expression is crucial in an occasion of repression. Our collective formed itself in a state of emergency, when our so-called safe spaces were under siege, and we needed to stand together to prevent falling. Besides the unfortunate events we went through, we also had small victories of building solidarity. The expressive free art movement was the one we dedicated ourselves to, and we took the necessary risks for its sake.
It is important for the marginalized ones to take an active role in writing history. Art is the safe haven for those who are pushed aside, and for it to keep being a safe space, it should be kept free. To be driven to the margins of society is a hard burden to bear, but it is more possible in a system of reciprocal aid and open-mindedness. The goal of the exhibition was to bring people together and give them a platform of visibility. No more hiding in the margins.
BOUNSERGİ succeeded in collecting more than 400 artworks thanks to the contribution of 150 artists worldwide on the first exhibition and 300 more from different artists on the second. The pieces submitted varied in their concepts, mediums, and perspectives. It was a festivity of diversity. One could see a pattern constructed by the intersection of courageous critique and freedom of thought that came from art free of censorship.
The state felt threatened by this courage of speaking up and did what they do best: vilify and criminalize the other, making the public fear what they do not know and do not understand. Freedom and democracy cannot function under authoritarianism. Freedom requires a movement of any kind that is not policed, and democracy comes with myriad perspectives functioning under a dome of equality. These are the ideas oppressive states try to censor into oblivion.
We want to create a playground for active dreaming, a space for people to occupy and play together. This journey is a process of discovery, building novel dreams with those who don’t give up on playing under impossible circumstances. We wish to find joy under the depressing condition of the world and celebrate the simple fact that we are alive.
We are the youth with no future. We are upset and want to make you uncomfortable. We want to find joy in our discomfort and make a playground to discover something new. Allow us the space to exist as we are with others who identify with us. We want solidarity. We want to scream injustice into the void, hoping at least one person hears us.
Resist to the best of your abilities against all oppression. Dream of a better world and convince yourself, against all odds, that it is possible. To make a dream possible, you must struggle. And never forget: struggle is hope, and hope is the fuel to make a dream come true.
2021
FIKIRWALK
FIKIRWALK is a parade initiated by the BOUNSERGİ art collective, designed as an inclusive performative gathering for anyone who wished to participate in the resistance. This event took place at the main entrance gate of the university, serving as the opening act for the protest-art exhibition.
The name FIKIRWALK carries profound significance. The term Fıkır fıkır is a sound-inspired reduplication in Turkish, symbolizing a state of being full of life—exuberantly alive, bubbling with energy, and bustling with vibrancy. The notion of embodying fıkır fıkır energy in resistance was originally suggested by a highly esteemed professor at our university, providing a meaningful source of inspiration for the collective. This ethos shaped the parade, emphasizing vitality, creativity, and collective spirit in protest.
Consequently, the collective decided to name the parade Fıkırwalk as an open invitation to all, encouraging people to come together in their most vibrant, colorful, and spirited attire, carrying flags of all hues. The purpose of this parade was to unite participants in a collective walk to the exhibition area, transforming the journey into a powerful and lively expression of protest through marching, dancing, and chanting.
Fıkırwalk embodied a unique form of resistance, harnessing the power of Gullüm. It was a manifestation of vibrancy, colorfulness, joy, satire, dance, and a sense of life, disobeying the disturbing presence of a dozen metal-clad figures who concealed their humanity behind their imposing armor. The intention was clear: to remind these intrusive enforcers of how profoundly human one can be when the metal suits are shed, and the most flamboyant costumes are donned.
Since the beginning of the protests, a wide range of individuals from Boğaziçi University have actively participated, and LGBT+ individuals have been prominent in all aspects of the protests. BOUNSERGİ is a collective of queer artists who have made a dedicated effort to create a platform for queer-protest art within their exhibitions. After the first exhibition, the government initiated a smear campaign, which I will now refer to as a "witch-hunt," by making allegations against an art piece that was featured in the exhibition. Government officials began to target LGBTQ+ individuals and artists on social media, leading to the imprisonment of four members of the BOUNSERGİ art collective and three students who had participated in the resistance.
"YILANI GÜLDÜRSELER’
"Yılanı Güldürseler" the work of art responsible for "Inciting People to Hatred and Hostility"
"The figure of Şahmeran, a combination of the snake, which is identified with the idea of original sin and is one of the symbols of evil in Anatolia, and the female identity, which has been oppressed from the past to the present, is, strangely enough, loved in Anatolia and placed at the top of the house. In Anatolia, the combination of identities such as the snake and the woman, which men see as rivals to themselves, is usually attached by women to the top corner of the house, which is a secret mockery and rebellion against male power. In this work, I wanted to make this hidden and deep struggle of Anatolian women one step bolder by attaching this figure to the center of fictionalized religion, which is the biggest motivation of social misogyny. The green behind Şahmeran symbolizes the real paradise. If the freedom of women and animals becomes central, the much sought after image of paradise will be the earth itself. As you will notice, the LGBTI+ flags attached to the four corners of the work are far from the general aesthetic structure of the work and look artificial. Here, I showed how the notion of societal gender alienates us from our own understanding of genders and artificially introduces our self-identities to us." text by NoLifer.
ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT
On the second day of the exhibition, the student-led Islamic Research Club condemned the artwork on Twitter. This condemnation was quickly amplified by pro-Erdoğan mass media outlets, which began publishing critical reports about the incident. Following this, Süleyman Soylu, the Interior Minister of Turkey at the time, directed some of the most hateful rhetoric toward BOUNSERGİ members, labeling them as "LGBT deviants" and "LGBT terrorists." This inflammatory language further intensified the ongoing demonization of queer individuals, effectively initiating a witch-hunt.
The accusations against LGBTQ+ individuals acted as an implicit invitation for homophobic and violent targeting of queer-identifying people. Shortly thereafter, Ali Erbaş, the President of Religious Affairs, issued a public condemnation on Twitter, characterizing the incident as an attack on the sacred Kaaba, Islamic values, and Muslims at large. He further declared that they would closely monitor the situation and pursue legal action against those responsible for this so-called act of disrespect.
In response, the prosecution office launched an investigation, accusing four individuals from BOUNSERGİ—Selo, Hazar, Doğu, and Sena—of violating religious values and inciting hatred.
The investigation resulted in the imprisonment of Doğu and Selo, while Hazar and Sena were placed under home detention for 47 days. This decision itself serves as a stark indicator of the sexist and patriarchal nature of the government’s rule, as the sentences were issued based on the state-assigned genders of the students. Notably, two of the detainees were an openly lesbian couple who were singled out and labeled as "LGBT perverts." When the couple was placed under house arrest in separate locations, Erdoğan publicly remarked, “Lesbiyen Mezbiyen, there is no such thing.” This statement was widely circulated by several pro-Erdoğan mass media outlets, further exacerbating the systemic marginalization of LGBTQ+ individuals.
BOUNSERGI TO na+CTRL ART COLLECTIVE
The BOUNSERGİ art collective is no longer active in its original form; however, some of its members have established a new collective called na+CTRL, shifting its focus to global issues such as climate justice, migration, racism, and queer-anarchy. While some members have relocated to various European countries, others remain in Turkey. The resilient and rebellious spirit that defined the collective during the resistance continues to thrive, fueled by the unbreakable bonds of solidarity they forged. na+CTRL aims to expand its artistic activism across diverse locations, fostering exponential growth within its solidarity network na+CTRL.
written by Hazar Kolancali, 2023