Renowned as a courageous and outspoken figure in the Turkish art scene, Gülsün Karamustafa’s work has always been interwoven with her political commitment.
Born in 1946 in Ankara, Gülsün Karamustafa grew up during a period of turbulent political evolution in Turkey, marked by a transition to a multiparty system, numerous military coups, and increasing political polarization. This turbulent political environment profoundly shaped Karamustafa’s work, infusing it with themes of political struggle, resistance, and oppression.
Yet, Gülsün Karamustafa stresses that art is only a backdrop that can inspire political change: “I don’t believe that by itself art can change the world. Art can be a backup for everything… but activism is something that you go and fight yourself.”
Thus, in her youth, Gülsün Karamustafa took to the streets to express her dissatisfaction. In the 1970s, she participated in anti-government student protests, which led to her imprisonment, and her being denied a passport to travel for 16 years.
“You cannot separate artists from any crisis in the world. They are sensitive, they are reactive… But for being the activist, you have to take your battle instrument and go and fight for it,” Gülsün Karamustafa concludes in this short video.
Gülsün Karamustafa (b. 1946 in Ankara) lives and works in Istanbul. In her artistic career, which spans over five decades, she has examined themes around gender, globalization, and migration, and today she is considered an important critical voice in the global art scene. Her installations, paintings, sculptures, and videos have been exhibited in numerous international art institutions, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; Jewish Museum, New York; Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, Geneva; Kunsthalle Fridericianum, Kassel; Kunstmuseum Bonn; SALT Galata, Istanbul; and Walker Art Center, Minneapolis. In 2024, Gülsün Karamustafa represented Turkey in the Venice Biennale.
Gülsün Karamustafa’s work is held in many public and private institutions, including Tate Modern, London; Guggenheim Museum, New York; Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; MOMENTUM, Berlin; Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris; and MUMOK, Vienna.
Gülsün Karamustafa was interviewed by Nanna Rebekka in connection with the exhibition ‘Back to Future’ at Kunsthal 44Møen.
Camera: Rasmus Quistgaard
Produced and edited by: Nanna Rebekka
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2023. Louisiana Channel is supported by Den A.P. Møllerske Støttefond, Ny Carlsbergfondet, and C.L. Davids Fond og Samling.
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