Conversation with Şükran Moral, Istanbul, 2005

Şükran Moral starts the conversation with presenting her performance piece Bordello (1997) for The 5th Istanbul Biennial, where she transformed a brothel into an art space. In this work, she confronts the deeply entrenched patriarchal and religious structures in Turkish society that aim to control female sexuality. Moral’s performance in the brothel blurred the boundaries between art and life. She presented herself as simultaneously the artwork and the object for sale, equating the brothel to a museum where women become exhibits, and visitors assume the role of buyers. “Bottom line it’s my ironic approach which is razor-sharp.”

She also elaborates on her project Speculum (1997), which began in 1996 in Rome. Using the gynecological examination table as a central material: “In the history of art, all the great artists put women in reclining poses. The woman is situated as passive and she is constantly gazed at. Whereas here it's a strong, aggressive reclining position because I've put a monitor between my legs, in the place of my vagina.” By displaying footage of a morgue, she disrupted the voyeuristic pleasure typically afforded to viewers of the female nude. Instead, her work forces discomfort, transforming passive observation into an unsettling experience.

Another of her transgressive works Hammam (1997) takes place in: “the Galataray Hamam, it is a historical bath. In the men's section. I take a camera and go there and bathe in the men's section. It's a multi-purpose work, not a one-liner. It's a bit complicated…”

Despite the international recognition her work received, Moral expresses frustration that the Turkish art scene did not support her, perhaps because her approach was perceived as too radical: “I am not a conformist artist. I don't want applause from people. Let them be uncomfortable. There are already too many places to make them comfortable.” She emphasizes that being a woman artist is inherently challenging. Despite her significant contributions, she encountered gender biases, economic struggles, and a persistent view of women as secondary, both in Turkey and in Europe.

She warns against creating "ghettos" like women's archives that risk marginalizing women further. Moral's feminist perspective is woven throughout her work, yet she resists narrow labels, valuing that her work can also be interpreted sociologically, psychologically, and aesthetically. She argues that patriarchal thinking is often perpetuated by women themselves: “it goes from mother to son.” True change must begin with women questioning and transforming these ingrained beliefs.