atlas of idealized women
artist özlem şimşek’s “atlas of idealized women” work presents a perspective on female stereotypes and possible transitivity between social classes, statuses and identities in turkey.
artist şimşek says “sides locate their positions over women’s bodies in turkey when arguing on conservatism-modernity, west-east, ethics, morals, future and past.”
“the women type being attacked shows you who is conservative and who is modern.”
“When elephants start to jostle*, idealized women type, body, clothes, gestures are being updated; sister, odalisque, citizen, virgin or femme fetal.”
*an african proverb: elephants jostle, what gets hurt is the grass
“atlas of idealized women” intends to expose this normalization; “if bodies and identities are being built, is there a possibility for us to be someone else?” it asks.