Beschreibung
The word punishment has never had a positive association for me. The purpose of giving a punishment is to dissuade and discourage; it aims to avoid the action from happening again. When I started primary school we all had to wear the same uniform. It was just the beginning for standardizing us. I took many lessons but when I look back, one of them becomes especially interesting for me. It was called Hayat Bilgisi (Knowledge of Life). This was a mandatory course, standardized all over the country by the Ministry of education which we had to attend from ages seven to ten. Despite its philosophical-sounding name, the course focused on how-tos in family, school and society. As it was taught and not experienced, it was actually the educational system's ideas on what the life of the future generation should be. I had no idea what was wrong or right about life. Instead of my personal ideas or wishes, they wanted to integrate one thing to our heads: how to be a good person in society! I was not aware of what was happening to me. It was only after many years that I realized what happened to me during my education: I became like everybody else. I did not have individual expectations.
Autorenporträt
Özgür Demirci is a conceptual artist living and working in Istanbul. He received his B.A at the Yildiz Technical University, Art and Design Faculity, Combined Arts Program in 2007 and he received his M.F.A at the Gothenburg University, Valand School of Fine Arts,C:Art:Media Program in 2010.
