Within the scope of the “Book Meetings with EMU” event series launched in 2023 by the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Press and, Social and Cultural Activities Directorate, the “States of Femininity” exhibition was organized in March, on the occasion of 8 March – International Women’s Day. Recently, a catalogue launch and talk event was also organized for the said exhibition. The event took place on Saturday, 30 March 2024 at 12:00 p.m. at Rauf Raif Denktaş Culture and Congress Center.
In the event which received great attention from the art-lovers, EMU Press Publication Board Chairperson Prof. Dr. Şebnem Hoşkara delivered a speech, noting that the “Book Meetings with EMU” event series were launched in 2023 and the goal of these events is to bring EMU Press publications together with the members of the society. Providing information regarding EMU Press, Prof. Dr. Hoşkara stated that the list of publications can be accessed from EMU Press website. Thanking everyone for their participation, Prof. Dr. Hoşkare wished an event beneficial for all.
Following the opening speech, art history specialist Derya Ulubatlı and EMU Art Coordinator Zehra Şonya carried out the catalogue launch and talk event. The place of women in the society and its reflection on the art was discussed during the event. Moreover, the discussion focused on the discourse presented by the exhibition catalogue in the context of gender and feminism. During the event, which explored the historical evolution of feminist art and its relationship with feminism, guest speaker Dr. Ulubatlı analyzed the artworks in the exhibition in the context of the dominance imposed by the masculine system on the body. Throughout the event, enriched by participant questions and assessments, there was unanimous agreement that the title ‘States of Femininity’ used for the exhibition did not adequately capture its full scope and that the scope actually exceeds it. Following a request from the speaker and the exhibition curator, EMU Art Coordinator Zehra Şonya, discussions were held to reconsider the exhibition title, leading to the suggestion that ‘Exposure of Masculine Mind’ would better reflect the concept of the exhibition.
The exhibition focused on re-evaluating the struggles in terms of gender and, identifying, examining and discussing the marks of these struggles and their meanings which appear on the artworks, with the aim of making these artworks more visible. The said exhibition consisted works of İsmet Tatar, Nilüfer İnandım, Zehra Şonya, Nurtane Karagil, Serap Kanay, Hüseyin Özinal and Hatice Tezcan.