Işıl Eğrikavuk
Tobacco Warehouse 1 & 2

Born in 1980, İzmit. Lives in İstanbul.

In her videos and performances, Işıl Eğrikavuk creates situations that confuse current perceptions of reality. By imitating elements of media presentation, her documentary-style videos stage fictional stories and intentionally open a space for identifying with their main protagonist. Eğrikavuk listens, writes and performs stories, creating her scripts from elements taken from individual biographies, news or historical events.
Her concern with contemporary forms of transmitting political and cultural knowledge led her to develop strategies of presenting widely accepted stereotypes, whilst challenging people to decide whether they really believe them.
In Gül (2008), the main character, a woman, talks about her past and the arranged marriage she had to endure at the age of fourteen. As the young woman talks she is interrupted by scenes in which she takes on the role of an actor, commenting on the 'character' she is playing, and analysing the plausibility of her role. The almost voyeuristic interest in hearing the confessions of an abused woman is subverted as the story slides into fiction, questioning society's reaction to violence.