Deniz Goran's Novel 'The Fugitive of Gezi Park' Critiques Art World Excess

Deniz Goran, a pseudonym for Turkish-British novelist and art writer Selin Tamtekin, has released her second novel, 'The Fugitive of Gezi Park,' through Ortac Press. Priced at £11.99 in softcover, the book intertwines two narratives of alienation set against the backdrop of the international art world. One story follows a young gallery assistant who flees Istanbul after being arrested and abused, connected to the Gezi Park protests, while the other centers on an art dealer consumed by the excessive lifestyle of an art market 'player,' leading to self-abuse and disconnection. Their paths cross at an art fair, resulting in a sexual encounter. The novel uses the art world as a symbol of wealth, privilege, and disassociation from reality, featuring characters like socialites in designer outfits, predatory dealers, and alcoholic figures. Published to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the Gezi Park protests in Istanbul, the work does not provide a detailed examination of the events but instead explores themes of trauma and the fugitive condition. At times, it lacks subtlety, as seen in passages describing VIP collectors negotiating over high-priced artworks while others await passage at the Turkish-Syrian border. In other moments, it sensitively portrays how lives are shaped by accident and trauma, examining responses of fight or flight. The book has received mixed reviews for its portrayal of the art world's contradictions.