In her video installation Men Crying (2001), Turkish artist Gülsün Karamustafa explores the deep-rooted taboo of male vulnerability in Turkish society. Aiming to challenge the cultural stereotype that “men don’t cry”, the piece explores cultural norms around masculinity and emotion.
In this video, Gülsün Karamustafa reflects on the process of creating Men Crying in collaboration with her longtime friend and celebrated filmmaker Atıf Yılmaz and its relevance today.
Looking back at Turkish cinema of the 1950s and 60s, Gülsün Karamustafa noticed a striking paradox: “In the old films of 50s and 60s, men […] are freely crying.” Despite the cultural taboo, male characters often displayed open emotion on screen, a contradiction that sparked her curiosity.
Gülsün Karamustafa realised that “many of these films were shot by my friend Atıf Yılmaz, one of the most prominent filmmakers in Turkey, for whom I had made art direction years before. And you know, I really was amazed how many men he made cry in his films.”
Gülsün Karamustafa invited Atıf Yılmaz to collaborate once again, asking him “whether he would take three films for me with the actors who have played for him and who have cried for him in his films in the 50s and 60s.” The legendary director agreed, bringing together some of the most celebrated actors of Turkish cinema to cry again – this time in their 60s and 70s.
For Gülsün Karamustafa, Men Crying has only grown more meaningful with time. The piece is now a document of a generation. Her collaborator Atıf Yılmaz has since passed away, as have several of the actors who took part, yet its themes remain urgent: “Society never changes; they stick in their minds; it is under their skin”.
The persistence of the idea that men should suppress emotion speaks to enduring expectations around gender and vulnerability. By bringing these performances into an art context, Karamustafa not only preserves a moment of cinema history but also holds up a mirror to today’s culture, asking whether we have truly moved beyond the notion that “men do not cry.”
Gülsün Karamustafa (b. 1946, Turkey) is an artist known for her critical engagement with themes of migration, exile, and cultural identity. Her works span painting, installation, film, and video and have been shown internationally, including at Documenta and the São Paulo Biennial. In 2024, she represented Turkey at the Venice Art Biennale.
Gülsün Karamustafa was interviewed by Nanna Rebekka in connection with the exhibition Back to Future at Kunsthal 44Møen.
Producer and editor: Nanna Rebekka
Cinematographer: Rasmus Quistgaard
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2025
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