Homo-Economicus

Performance video, 2021
Rokolectiv Festival, Bucharest, RO
Blinkers, Winnipeg, CA
Ufer Studios, Berlin, DE

When Diogenes of Sinope, the 4th century BCE philosopher, was asked why he begged for alms in front of a statue, he replied he did it so he’d get used to being refused. In a similar spirit, Homo Economicus narrates in song the struggles of a young performance artist in an empty room showcasing classical sculptures in Berlin’s Altes Museum. She comes from the same region the cynic philosopher comes from, which today is excluded from the Western canon. Once upon a time, with the hopes of one day being inducted into the elite club of polite nations, her country banned its own Turkish classical music for being incompatible with western polyphony. The song the artist sings is based on a Turkish classical melody. Embodying her country’s self-doubt—in addition to general artistic and economic anxiety—she yearns to speak the language of high culture, but will her words fall on deaf ears? And will she finally get used to it?

Credits
Based on the melody of “Şarkılar Seni Söyler” by Muzaffer İlkar

Oud
Evren Can Kaman

Darbouk
Atilla Altiok

Violin
Kemanci Musti

Cinematography
Kubilay Kaan Mehan

Camera
Ansgar Schwarz

Sound Mixing
Mads Kristian Frøslev

Garments
Olivia Ballard
Gmbh
Kubilay Kaan Mehan