A new beginning
I haven’t been able to contribute to Serbestiyet since 24th January. It was a combination of several things. Too tired. Too busy. Looking for fresh ideas.
Tangible manifestations of the colonial project
Representing the direct physical results and positive influence that Western development had on the colonies, collected objects, written travel narratives, scientific drawings all allowed the government to encourage public political support for continued colonization in an age of increasing disillusionment
Cabinets of curiosity, theaters of the world
The trompe l’oeil painting above, dating to 1690, testifies to the importance that cabinets of curiosities had attained all over Europe by the end of seventeenth century, bringing viewers face to face with the curator’s conception of the entire world.
De-colonizing the “Universal Museum”
Museums are deeply political spaces, tied to very specific histories and contexts. The reality is that the “universal” museum is not universal at all.
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Initial reflections (2) on Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s “Ahlat Ağacı” (The Wild Pear Tree)
Both dialogues are interesting not just for their content. The movement and physical position of the characters while the conversations take place is also worth noting. Both dialogues begin on a hillside overlooking the community, and as the conversation takes place, the characters move downward, into, and across the community.