all works, including photos, sculptures and film-stills, by Halil Altındere in the show 'Infinity has no accent' at Tanas, Berlin; images by artifridge
In most parts of Europe and the USA, socially and politically critical art works have had a hard time being accepted within the last years. That might be because the western world feels more or less comfortable with its current situation or maybe just because it generally seems uncool to talk about politics. At the same time, however, it is collectives like Pussy Riot, who have been celebrated as important and liberating heroes of our generation. In the end, it always comes down to the question: Can art actually change anything?
From that perspective, it was interesting to see the current exhibition by Halil Altındere, a 1971-born contemporary Turkish artist and curator with an extremely wide spectrum of work material, at Tanas Berlin. Showing art that he produced within the last five years, Altındere breaks all the rules, crosses all the borders that we perhaps imagine to be stopping him in Turkey. Gay soccer players and body builders, seductive beauty queens, ridiculous chauvinism and nationalism - criticism is his weapon.
Originating from a painterly education, Altındere's short films reveal his liability to classic aestheticism. Colours, composition, dynamics merge into a superficially beautiful picture, that is broken with a harsh cynicism and irony. And hasn't irony always been an effective weapon against politics?
INFINITY HAS NO ACCENT
Halil Altındereuntil the 24th of November, 2012
TANAS
Heidestraße 50
10557 Berlin
Opening Hours: Tues-Sat, 11-18h
all works, including photos, sculptures and filmstills, by Halil Altındere in the show 'Infinity has no accent' at Tanas, Berlin; images by artifridge