Like Father, Like Son
video of a participatory performance, 18'01'', 2018
I asked my father to pick the news and articles that gives him anxiety. I also picked the ones the makes me anxious and we collected them on papers. We changed the papers and my father read my selection to me and I read his selection to him.
In this session of that we tried to switch the roles of family education, warning and discipline, the distance between two generations became clearer. The struggle of discipline became a reflection method. In this reflection session it seems that one side worries about health and body and on the other side pathriarchal culture and fatherhood become something to fear of. One side shows loyalty to reality and rationality and acts cautionary, the other side takes a critical position via academical texts. Also, it seems that violence againts women and destroying of nature are common anxiety facts. In conclusion, it is clear that while one side is trying to shape the body with disciplinary attitiude and one side is trying to change this discipline.
So what is gained during this reflection session? Stuckness of generations in their own realities or an example of reversal of all roles? Possibility of different ways of communication or a possibility of someday we can listen the critics of pathriarchy and fatherhood from not just academy but also from fathers themselves?
"Like Father, Like Son" is exhibited at İzmir during an exhibition curated by independent art collective Darağaç. The video installated in a auto mechanics store.