Biriken's Interdisciplinary Works Merge Political Commitment with Poetic Language
Established in 2006, the artistic partnership biriken consists of Istanbul-based creators Melis Tezkan and Okan Urun. Their work spans various disciplines, including theatre, performance, video, writing, and curatorial initiatives. In 2010, they presented Lick But Don’t Swallow!, a piece penned by Özen Yula that critiques global systems through a narrative set on a porn movie set. This work has been featured at festivals across the U.S., Netherlands, and Germany. In 2017, they unveiled the installation-performance This is the end, beautiful friend at Sharjah Biennial 13 and performed I shut down my heart until the apocalypse at the Jerk Off festival in Paris. Currently, they are working on their upcoming performance, THE WEST IS THE BEST.
Key facts
- Biriken was formed in 2006 by artists Melis Tezkan and Okan Urun.
- Their work Lick But Don’t Swallow! premiered in 2010 and has been shown in the US, Netherlands, and Germany.
- The installation-performance This is the end, beautiful friend was commissioned by Sharjah Biennial 13 in 2017.
- In 2017, they staged I shut down my heart until the apocalypse at the Jerk Off festival in Paris.
- Biriken created a video clip for the Turkish band Kim Ki O in 2017.
- Nil Yalter, a Turkish feminist artist based in Paris, selected biriken for recognition.
- Tezkan and Yalter collaborated on Untitled in 2009 for the Temps d’Images festival in Cluj.
- Biriken's works combine theatre, performance, video, writing, filmmaking, and curatorial projects.
Entities
Artists
- Nil Yalter
- Melis Tezkan
- Okan Urun
- Özen Yula
Institutions
- Sharjah Biennial 13
- Istanbloom
- SALT Galata
- Jerk Off festival
- Temps d’Images festival
- ArtReview
- K11 Art Foundation
Locations
- Istanbul
- Turkey
- Paris
- France
- Cluj
- Romania
- United States
- Netherlands
- Germany
- Sharjah