The body is the first canvas of humanity, and the strongest carrier of culture. Colors, textures, and symbols make every identity unique, while bringing humanity together with a common language. Red is the essence of cultures, like a river flowing through history, representing life, death, pain, and passion. Symbols are the silent codes of history, connecting the past and the future. The rich cultural heritage of Anatolia, spanning thousands of years, is a strong inspiration for this work. Culture becomes one with the naked body; it wraps it, transforms it, and gives it identity. This connection reveals the universal language of the body and the many-layered story of humanity. However, it is also important to remember the deep, internal memory of culture, not just its external expressions. Social inequality, violence, war, and the oppression of identities leave deep marks on the body. As I work with these marks, I aim to create a strong visual language through bodies adorned with textures, colors, and patterns left by different communities, exploring the relationship between nakedness and covering. I approach the body not only as a carrier of identity and culture but also as a form of expression for sexual freedom and bodily autonomy. Traditional clothing, symbolizing human identity, has historically been both a means of protection and an instrument of control. Today, the need for control over the body and the obligation to cover it still exist. In this context, I aim to explore the boundaries between sexuality and identity, using a language that challenges them. I combine the symbolic power of the body with the timeless stories of traditional clothing. Models are depicted in a space that questions sexual taboos and body boundaries, portrayed semi-naked with these clothes. These garments, which shift between covering and uncovering, carry the traces of the past while also serving as a tool for criticizing social pressures. These designs oppose societal norms, asserting control over the body and freedom. Every motif, every line, every color is a deep echo of being human, living, and the history of life. This story is our shared heritage. In my photographs, I not only carry the traces of lost cultures but also reflect the modern identity crisis caused by the tension between covering and nudity. Inspired by the spirit of the "Sexy Solidarities" exhibition, I seek to redefine the universal language of the body and culture, connecting the past to the future, while exploring how sexual freedom can develop as an expression against violence and societal pressure. This project redefines the fight for sexual freedom in society and shows how the boundaries of sexuality, identity, and the body can be overcome.
Thank you to Şirin Eda Duman to be most powerful part of Between Body and Fabric and her brand "Trace".
Thank you to Şirin Eda Duman to be most powerful part of Between Body and Fabric and her brand "Trace".
"The Universal Language of the Body and Culture
The body is the first canvas of human history, the most powerful carrier of culture. Colors, textures and symbols; while making each identity unique, bring humanity together with a common language.
Red is the essence of life and death, pain and lust; like a river flowing throughout history, the cultures. Symbols, on the other hand, are the silent codes of history, traces connecting the past and the future.
Culture becomes one with the naked body; it envelops it, transforms it and gives it an identity. This union reveals the universal language of the body and the multi-layered story of humanity. However, as much as this external expression, we should not forget the deeply engraved inner memory of culture.
A call to the universal language of the body and culture, which unites even as they separate... Every motif, every line, every color; is a deep echo of being human, life and history. This story is our common heritage."
Şirin Eda Duman