New Work Friday #106

“Cigdem Aydemir’s Extremist Activity is a series of performances that explore body politics, feminism and Islamophobia, in particular the idea of the Niqab and Burqa being a security threat. These performances, documented in both in video and photography, are about reclaiming body-space. The forms worn on the body (or rather the body worn on the forms) create and exaggerate voids whilst also parodying the proper concealment, or disclosure, of that space. Extremist Activity explores the concept of the body as an occupied space and creates a dialogue between the viewers (both in and out of the gallery) and their perceptions of this culturally, historically and politically significant garment and the women who wear them.’ Cigdem has a BDesign (Fashion and Textiles) from UTS apart from all her Fine Arts training and comes from a long line of Tailors, which I think gives her the technical skills to realise some very ambitious projects where fabric features heavily. This, along with her Turkish Muslim background, make her work very powerful and engaging. She uses humour and absurdity to engage with people both inside and outside the gallery setting. This is a statement we filmed recently [link].”

Show closes 14 April *A-M Gallery 191 Wilson St Newtown

Got new work you’d like to share? Send images no larger than 550x550px and 350k each plus a short statement about the work to: the art life at hot mail . com