ESPULSA by Şükran Moral

Şükran Moral, renowned for her iconic performances, continues to passionately explore deep topics through her diverse artistic productions. Known for her disciplined approach, Moral utilizes performances, videos, sculptures, watercolor paintings, and photographs to convey her messages. Her latest exhibition, "Espulsa," presents a biographical journey through her artistic evolution from 1994 to the present. This exhibition offers a multi-layered narrative that reflects the changing tides of art history, showcasing Moral's continuous engagement with complex and often controversial subjects.

At the "Espulsa" exhibition, Moral creates a powerful two-way impression with works such as "Bordello," "Turkish Bath," "Marriage with Three People," "Ethics," "Slaughter House," "Pussy," "Nightingale," "Espulsa," and "Diffidate della Storia dell'Arte." This exhibition, akin to a mini-retrospective, projects personal realities from Moral's life while simultaneously presenting various cultural and traditional facets of society. By doing so, she offers a profound reflection on her personal experiences and broader social issues, creating a compelling dialogue between the artist's inner world and the external realities she engages with.

Moral addresses themes such as feminism, women's issues, gender topics, migration, and child brides—subjects often marginalized by society. She integrates these topics with an impressive aesthetic approach, using irony to reveal the other side of the medallion. Her work challenges the audience to recognize and confront these "marginalized topics," presenting them with a sovereign irony that highlights the stark contrasts and hypocrisies within societal norms. Through "Espulsa," Moral provides a critical lens on issues that are frequently ignored or suppressed, urging viewers to reflect on their own perceptions and biases.

The term "Espulsa," derived from Italian, means "thrown," "expelled," "kicked out," "externalized," or "deported." Moral focuses on individuals and communities that have been expelled and externalized, presenting their experiences in a profoundly impactful manner. Her work delves into distorted social structures, taboo human relations, entrenched hierarchical systems, and blunt human instincts and desires in the context of tradition. By highlighting these elements, Moral critiques the rigid and often oppressive frameworks of society, advocating for a deeper understanding and empathy towards those who are marginalized.