Dor Guez's 'The Sick Man of Europe: The Architect' Explores Queered History Through Turkish Military Imagery
The exhibition 'The Sick Man of Europe: The Architect' by Dor Guez centers on Kemal P., a Turkish architecture student conscripted after World War II. This showcases the second installment of a five-part series highlighting Middle Eastern artists affected by military obligations. In the ground-floor gallery, a two-channel video installation features 13 photographs from Turkey's Victory Day Parade alongside images from Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's 1938 funeral. One screen displays these visuals while the other shows a hand sketching nearby structures. Kemal narrates, sharing his admiration for Atatürk and his friend Ahmed, the photographer. On the upper level, Kemal's personal photos of men in uniform are exhibited in an architect's steel plan chest. Guez delves into themes of imperialism, concealed homosexuality, and national identities. This article was published in October 2015.
Key facts
- Dor Guez is the son of a Palestinian Christian and a Tunisian Jew.
- The exhibition is the second part of a five-part project.
- Kemal P. was an architecture student recruited by the Turkish army after graduating near the end of World War II.
- A two-channel video installation features 13 photographs from Ankara's Victory Day Parade and Atatürk's 1938 state funeral.
- The narration is voiced as Kemal, highlighting his admiration for Atatürk and his friend Ahmed.
- Homoeroticism is evident in photographs, including one where Kemal sits between soldiers' legs in Ulus Square.
- Scanograms of soldiers in naive situations are displayed, revealing cracks and age in the images.
- Guez founded the Christian Palestinian Archive in 2009.
Entities
Artists
- Dor Guez
- Kemal P.
- Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
- Ahmed
- Walter Benjamin
Institutions
- Christian Palestinian Archive
- ArtReview
Locations
- Ankara
- Turkey
- Ulus Square