Urban Renewal Activists Protest at Istanbul Biennial

A group of college students, artists, local residents and activists protested a session in Istanbul's 13th Biennial yesterday, saying that certain organization funders supported Istanbul's controversial urban renewal projects.

Dozens of activists wearing t-shirts that said "Waiting for barbarians" turned their backs and read an alternative statement, as Fulya Erdemci, a presenter, was speaking in a session called "Addressing to public".

"As CEO's of capital power and their banks are conspiring among us, their cultural spies and smile face intellectual facilitators are producing several projects. They are stealing our right to speak, breaking through our resistance...While the government and capital is occupying farms, rivers, forests, streets and house, how can biennial organizers ignore this?...What are the organizers trying to normalize here?...Don't we have a right to live?" the protest statement said.  

The involving group included: ArtHack, Bağımsız Sanatçılar, Bağımsız Üniversite Öğrencileri, Emek Gündoğusu Sanat ve Düşün Topluluğu, Güney Kültür Sanat ve Edebiyat Dergisi, Homur Mizah ve Karikatür Grubu, Halkevleri, Kamusal Sanat Laboratuvarı, Kent Hareketleri, Öğrenci Kolektifleri, Red Fotoğraf and Sosyalist Demokrasi Partisi.

Following the statement, protestors read aloud the poem "Waiting for Barbarians" by Kavafis.

Despite presenter Fulya Erdemci's efforts to gain control in the room, protestors resumed to shout slogans.

The Istanbul Biennial organizers announced that they cancelled the related upcoming event. Activist from Kent Hareketleri group carried on their alternative presentation on the negative consequences of urban renewal projects. (BK/AS/BM)