“Hrant Dink is the 62nd journalist to have been murdered in Turkey since 1909.”
Artist Ahmet Ögüt develops a conversation with Devorah Greenspan, a blind painter, in order to create a homage to the Turkish-Armenian newspaper editor, columnist, and journalist Hrant Dink. Ögüt not only shares what he knows about his physical characteristics, but also his philosophy, his writings, his love for his country, and his dreams as well as his fears, particularly referring to Dink’s last article that was published in the Armenian-Turkish newspaper Agos on January 10, 2007, titled “The Pigeon-like Unease of My Inner Spirit.”
Ahmet Ögüt (born 1981 in Diyarbakir, Turkey) is a conceptual artist living and working between Amsterdam and Istanbul. His practice incorporates a variety of media including video, drawing and installation, with performance often playing a major role in the conception or realization of the work. His subtle references to complex topics including religion, social and rural customs, and the specter of war in this region are offset by an edge of humour. In 2009 he represented Turkey in the Pavilion of Turkey at the 53rd International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennial. Ögüt was a guest artist at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam from 2007-2008.
New York artist Devorah Greenspan enrolled in a drawing class a few years ago. Prior to that she considered creating visual artwork, aside from doodling, “off limits” due to her vision loss. Her artworks have been featured at New York City’s Viridian Gallery, Object Image Gallery, the Bay Ridge Art Fair, and the Educational Alliance
New York City, NY; NYC