Turkish Artist Sukran Moral on Death Threats and Exile After Lesbian Performance

Turkish artist Sukran Moral, born in Terme in 1962, faced death threats and a media lynching after her 2010 performance 'Amemus' at a gallery in Istanbul, which included a lesbian scene. Moral, who had previously caused scandals by entering a men-only hamam and a historic brothel, and by staging a protest marriage with three underage boys, was targeted by Islamist media and received threats via phone and email. She was forced to flee to Rome, where she held Italian citizenship. Moral states that the state was complicit, as media acted on its behalf, and that she lost work, friends, and family. She has not exhibited in Turkey since, though her work is held in Turkish museums that fear to show it. Moral continues to work in Germany, Norway, Spain, and England, but not in Italy, which she describes as closed and traditionalist. She sees her art as a fight for women's freedom and against censorship.