Göksu Kunak (Berlin)

Picture shows Göksu Kunak
Foto: Tomás Eyzaguirre
Picture shows Göksu Kunak
Foto: Tomás Eyzaguirre

Biography:

Göksu Kunak Göksu Kunak, born in Ankara in 1985, is a writer, performer and performance maker. They are interested in queer methods (especially chrono-politics) and hybrid texts that deal with the performative jargon of contemporary lifestyles. Influenced by Arab culture and late modernism, Göksu imagines new situations from real encounters that highlight the problems of hetero-patriarchal structures and themes such as Orientalism, self-orientalization, queer camouflage and self-censorship.

Freischwimmen project:

Acâibü’l-mahlûkāt is a 13th century Persian/Ottoman cosmology, geography, and science book. Acayip Mahlukat (in Turkish) includes mythological and made-up characters to explain the world order. Based on the book, the piece Acayip Mahlukat is a performative installation with audio and video that explores self-censorship and camouflage. Acayip Mahlukat focuses on the world of the book in relation to transmutation/camouflage, identity construction and kuir (queer in Turkish) and explores self-censorship as a resilience strategy by using the lingo of science/speculative fiction.

Statement:

Being a part of FREISCHWIMMEN allowed me to work in precise detail. With the support of the platform, I had long periods in the studio, which led to a better and well thought piece. As the platform supported me to invite fellow collegues into the process I could deeply focus on details with my team. The learning from different aspects to become better at our profession continues thanks to the support of the platform.

Performances:

Invitations and residencies:

Invitations

2023 Biennial, New York
2023 Sophiensæle, Berlin

Residencies

2023 Gessnerallee, Zurich