FLUXLIST: regionalism in art /turkey

[Ceyda Karamürsel (CUSTOMER TECH-Uzm.)]

        regionalism is a better word. the word nationalism always scares me
a lot + i don't believe it exists at all (the meaning). actually, there
isn't much restrictions on pop music or pop cinema of american (or foreign)
industries. i guess turkey is becoming a bigger market and government is not
strong enough to war against those who make benefits (or prefers to use its
power to less powerful individuals). turkey is overwhelmed with crappy kind
of american or foreign or domestic art. or better call them "goods". on the
other hand there's only a little group of people that would be happy to see
a brakhage movie on tv on a thursday evening so it never happens. but there
are several radio channels that aim to reach a smaller target group, have no
worries about how many people listen to them exactly, they can go without
any restrictions of experimentality (i just made this word up or does it
exist?). but it is important to mention if you are political you are
considered to be a potential terrorist (and you can be banned anytime by the
government). 

> culture will have less and less to do with art in the upcoming years; the
> 
        it depends on the artist, what motives he/she lives upon, his/her
understanding of aesthetics etc. i believe there are people who goes
experimental with the art of carpet making or tandoori baking as well as
there exists avantgardes using traditional elements in their works. but one
thing is certain; where you live affects you in many ways, it is or it has
all of the material you use, physically or conceptually. but it is subject
to a radical change also. i may move to berlin next week, and i can start
using berlin as the material for my art. 

        unlike josh's experince, last march i have been to a concert by
butch morris and his long time collaborator j.a. deane with many other
musicians. butch is living in istanbul for a while (for a mysterious reason)
and he put this performance which is called "new mehter culture" -mehter
means ottoman empire's army band- which was unbelievable, breathtaking... ja
deane was doing the samplers... once in a while you could hear some
traditional mehter sound samples accompanied by live violins, cello, sax,
clarinet, rhodes, piano, percussions and several authentic instruments such
as baglama, kanun, darbuka... obviously butch knew how to process his
material.

        i think as long as one can create a depth, he/she should be welcome
to say a word in any culture. the thing is it's hard to create this depth,
it is exteremely challenging. i usually find it very funny when i hear young
turkish boys singing hip-hop in turkish but i would really like to be
astonished someday.

        c