The Societal Peace and Freedom Forum, organised by Amed (Diyarbakır) Metropolitan Municipality between 12 and 16 May, brought together many participants from different sections of society. Workshops, concerts, panels, exhibitions, performances, film screenings and marches held as part of the forum focused primarily on socialising peace.

 

 

‘BORDER’ IN 150 LANGUAGES

 

One of the forum’s key events was the Societal Peace and Freedom Exhibition. Funda Coşkun’s installation work titled “On Reconciled Stones” was among the featured pieces. The installation used stones, masks and palm tree bark, with the word “Border” written in 150 different languages on masks placed over the stones. 

 

Through the metaphor of stone, the work explored concepts of social peace, belonging and freedom. It also drew attention to the possibility of a shared living space in which differences can coexist.

 

Speaking about her work, artist Funda Coşkun said she chose stone because of its rawness and its ability to carry the memory of the past.

 

“I wanted to speak about a border built with stones. Why are the masks placed on the stones? Because when you are restricted in human relationships, it progresses through a form of silence or sometimes through a culture of fear,” she said.

 

Explaining why the word “border” was written in 150 languages, Funda Coşkun said language is central to individual existence and that the concept of borders written on the masks should not be understood only as physical limitations. She said: “In different languages, it says ‘this is who I am’, but when language brings you and me together relationally, what kind of border does it place between us? We need to be able to see that. That is why we preferred different languages.”

 

Funda Coşkun said she chose palm trees because of their ability to hold together by intertwining and embracing one another. She added that the bark shed by palm trees could also symbolise opening oneself up and creating a space for peace.

 

Funda Coşkun added: “When we think of those palm trees among the stones as birds, we ask ourselves: with so many borders around us, how free are we within those borders? Or when we create a space of freedom, where will we need to place borders, or will we really need borders at all? Perhaps the work encourages us to question these things.”

 

‘WE NEED TO SHOULDER RESPONSIBILITY’

 

Funda Coşkun said that discussing social peace and freedom amid multiple crises can at times be unsettling, adding that approaches to peace may become critical because anxieties and memories of the past are difficult to forget.

 

“The broader impact of this work is this: we are in a process where we need to shoulder responsibility for peace. The installation makes people question, ‘What can we do?’ The aim is to express many things through very few objects,” she said.

 

Funda Coşkun noted that she made very few alterations to the materials she used because peace should also be approached in that way. She said peace is something deeply needed and that individuals should accept one another in their raw and natural forms. Funda Coşkun added that it was important for viewers to look at the metaphor in the work, think about other metaphors it evokes, and ask themselves what ultimately moves them to act.

 

‘THERE IS A NEED FOR CONCRETE STEPS’

 

“If we want freedom to exist for all of us, then I believe we must move together,” said Funda Coşkun and added: “The large number of stones in my work and the way they move collectively send the message that this is not a path that can be walked alone.”

 

Funda Coşkun said people have concerns during this process and need to see more concrete steps being taken and continued: “We want to see the road continuing. We need an active and moving peace. And for that movement, all of us need to take action.” 

 

MA / Rukiye Payiz Adiguzel