Kamusal sanat aktivizmi: Stüdyo 21 Lefkoşa
Public art activism: Studio 21
Yazar: İDİL TAŞ
Danışman: DOÇ. DR. ZEYNEP GÜNAY
İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi / Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü / Şehir ve Bölge Planlama Ana Bilim Dalı / Şehir Planlama Bilim Dalı
Derece: Yüksek Lisans, 2019
Konu: Şehircilik ve Bölge Planlama = Urban and Regional Planning

Özet:
Bu araştırma, Lefkoşa'nın bölünmüş kentsel coğrafyasında, Studio 21 inisiyatifi üzerinden etnografik bir anlatı ile kentlerin dönüşümünde kamusal sanat aktivizminin gücünü araştırmaktadır. Araştırma, kamusal sanat aktivizminin, özellikle politik huzursuzluk, sosyo-ekonomik eşitsizlikler, hareketlilikler ve kentsel çöküntünün tanımladığı umut mekânlarında yer-yapma için paradigma değişiminin öncüsü olduğunu iddia etmektedir. Sanat sadece belirli bir kesimin tüketebileceği elitist bir lüks değil, aynı zamanda hem kentsel mekânsallık için hem de toplum için dönüştürücü değişime öncülük eden güçlü bir araçtır. Bu nedenle araştırma, Stüdyo 21'de rol alan tüm paydaşlar ve sürecin parçası haline gelen toplum ile yapılacak derinlemesine görüşmeler ve bireysel gözlemler üzerine kurulmuştur. Araştırma kapsamında yanıt aranan başlıca sorular şunlardır: Kamusal sanat bir kentsel aktivizm kaynağı haline nasıl gelebilir? Kamusal sanat aktivizmi yer-yapma eylemine nasıl katkıda bulunabilir? Aktivizme ve isyana dayanan çoğunluğun yönetiminde planlamanın rolü ne olmalıdır? Araştırmanın sonuçları, kentsel mekânın, yerelliğin ve yerel sermayenin güçlendirilmesi yoluyla, kendi çözümlerini nasıl oluşturabileceğini göstermektedir.

Abstract:
This research explores the power of public art activism in everyday urbanism through an ethnographic narrative on Studio 21 initiative in the contested geography of Lefkosia. It argues that public art activism is a pioneering idea for a paradigm shift on place-making particularly in the spaces of hope within a geography of political unrest, socio-economic disparities, mobilities and urban decay, because of the fact that, along with its influence of the characteristic features of art, it has a transformative power and an activist aspect. In the planning processes, if public art is integrated with the city and if the society is given the opportunity to realize itself, reflections of activism can be seen on the city and society. However, it is evident that artistic endeavors are not the main concern in the planning processes of societies struggling with urban and social issues. In some societies, art and artists are widely described as 'unnecessary' and 'useless effort' and consuming art is seen as a luxury. Consequently, this lack of understanding leading to the disconnection of the artist from the society caused by social prejudices prevent art from becoming a part of daily life.
Art is not an elitist luxury, but rather a powerful tool to lead transformative change not only for the urban spatiality but also for the community. Activism plays a major role in order to utilize this tool effectively to be the driving force of urban and social movement. The reason why public art is preferred as a means of activism is to instill the understanding that 'art can belong to people from all strata of society and can be consumed free of charge' and to facilitate participation in activism. Because, the first stage of the transformation process is mass participation and public art invites masses to activism. 
This study portrays the transformation process of Suriçi in the context of public art activism. Urban and social changes which occurred after society met public art define the borders of the framework of the research problem. Settlement of Suriçi in Nicosia defines the boundaries of the research. Suriçi, which has a historical and cultural texture surrounded by walls, is accepted as "a protected area" by authorities. However, inadequate attitude towards this protection could not prevent economic, physical and functional aging of the city. Most of the inhabitants of the city are crowded migrant working-class families from different parts of Anatolia. Young people at risk, ethnic minorities, individuals isolated from society, excluded marginalized groups and occupations are often seen in the community. There are socio-economic difficulties, physical inadequacies and political issues in which the abandoned city and society are struggling. Suriçi settlement is ignored by global policy trends with its split structure in its north-south direction and its socio-cultural sensitivity. The hopeless viewpoint of the society on art, artist, city and society, in short, on the future, and the city's deteriorating image define the research problem.
Studio 21 initiative uses the activism movement as a dissident force on the people who have a voice in order to solve the problems in which the society is struggling. Studio 21 is an activist community that tackles these problems with resources and means that they created themselves from little to nothing. Studio 21 achieves what the local government and political actors who do not fulfill their duties and responsibilities in the city could not. This research delves into details of the activist movement of Studio 21, of its attempt to make its voice heard and say, "We are still here".
The use of public art as a tool has the potential to increase the chances of developing cities or communities which are frail due to low budget or lack of pioneering initiatives in the process of revival and competitiveness. Public art activism can be cited as a role model as a way out to cities that are on the verge of decay, such as the settlement of Suriçi.
In this context, the aim of the study is to examine the power of public art activism in the transformation of cities through the Studio 21 initiative in the divided urban geography of Nicosia. The conceptual infrastructure of public art as the main source of activism, the current situation of the research area through an examination of the socio-economic and physical structure of the field and the impact of public art activism on different scales are among the objectives realized in order to achieve the aim of the research. The research questions how public art produced on the basis of volunteerism and opportunities created from nothing can change the city and society with the help of mass activism.
In the light of the aims and objectives described above, the research seeks to answer the baseline question: 'What is the power of public art and public art activism to transform the city and society?. Sub-research questions related to this question are: 'How can public art become a source of urban activism? How can public art activism contribute to the practice of space-making? What should be the role of planning in this process?.
These questions, in the divided urban geography of Lefkosia, are addressed on the Studio 21 initiative through the 'case study' method which is one of the qualitative research methods. The lasting success of public art activism on the city and society is related to the performances of public art works. However, there is no internationally accepted systematic methodology to understand the success of public works of art and to ensure the continued effects of success. Since the reflections of public art will differ according to the socio-cultural and physical forms of organization of cities, it is difficult to design an impact measurement model. However, there are several initiatives based on systematic measurement models on how art can change society and the city. By means of questionnaires, the desired objective can be achieved by quantitative methods by designing matrices such as Ixia. There are studies based on shows such as dance, music, theater and circus performances that make success indicators and criteria for non-profit performing arts measurable. An evaluation form that refers to the common assumptions about art used in these researches is the criterion of 'influence'. However, the influence of art works through intuitive and emotional channels. Therefore, it is very difficult to base empirical evidence on the measurability of public art's mental effects such as sense of belonging or sense of space.
In this context, in questioning the power of public art, ethnographic research method in Suriçi is considered appropriate. This method focuses on both verbal and non-verbal behaviors, allowing data to be collected in an environment where people behave naturally. By definition, ethnographic narrative is to collect and analyze data by exploring a cultural or social situation and the area in which it occurs. Qualitative research is a research method that uses different kinds of research types such as phenomenology, ethnography, action research, case study and grounded theory while trying to explain social events and phenomena. The method of this study is a 'case study' based on an ethnographic narrative. The exploratory case study conducted in this study is used to discover situations in which the intervention under consideration does not have a clear, single set of results. The focus of the case study in this research is the activist community, Studio 21, which transforms the city and society with art. The center of Studio 21's public art activities is the settlement of Suriçi. This research focuses on how art activists saved and restructured the Suriçi area, which had been a ghetto until ten years ago, from being a derelict ruin by drawing attention to it with art. Therefore, in the first part of the case study, the historical development of Nicosia and the settlement of Suriçi are given. Clarifying the process that Suriçi was going through will shed light on the motivation behind the activism movement. The second part of the case study includes the findings obtained during the visit to the site. The use of the case study protocol in the research method is an important tool in the rigorous progression of the research. 
The research consists of four chapters. In the first part, research problem, aim, objectives, questions and research method are presented. In the second part, the conceptual framework provides a discussion of academic debates on the transformative power of public art and public art activism, its historical background, the connection between public art and the city and society, and how public art is transformed into art activism ideologically and practically. The definition of public space that has changed from past to present, the publicization process of art, the effect and reasons of art in public spaces, how and why public art come together with activism, the potential urban and social effects of this association, successful international activist initiatives and critical perspective on the current situation constitute the infrastructure of the research. The conceptual background is evaluated with the help of academic and scientific studies on public, publicity, public art, activism, art activism, public art and space relations, development process and public art initiatives. The third part of the research discusses the settlement of Suriçi and the role of public art activism through Studio 21. Where, how and why the public art activism movement started, who led this process, the difficulties encountered, the way to success and the final products are explained through Studio 21 initiative. Detailed information is presented about the historical development of Nicosia and the settlement of Suriçi. It is aimed to draw a picture of the research problem to the reader through the process that Suriçi is going through in urban and social terms. The urban and social reflections of Studio 21's actions and effects on macro and micro scales are examined in the findings part of the research with qualitative methods based on ethnographic narrative. In the conclusion part, the framework on what can be achieved in the case of activism of public art produced with almost no capital and resources to begin with is presented. How the process of change that starts with public art can transform a city and what the role of planning in this process is evaluated.
Suriçi and Studio 21 are examples that have evolved into an activist movement on an international scale which started in a local settlement. The most concrete achievements of Studio 21 are how creative ideas that transform cities and bring society to the field, to public spaces are effective when they develop in natural processes. Creative initiatives change the individual and the environment of the individual and then the society and the city where the individual lives. It is seen that with art, the individual; with the individual, the society and with the society and the city will reach to the ideal level of welfare. With the Studio 21 initiative in Suriçi, public art has become a part of everyday life. The fact that art can transform society and the city is an accomplished achievement, if the society is more intertwined with art by giving more space to art in urban spaces.
In conclusion, this research aims to contribute to academic literature on activist movements in Cypriot society with Studio 21 in its focus. In a political environment where political, feminist activism and animal rights activism are often well-supported and have media coverage, but usually lacks any tangible outcomes, the struggles of Studio 21 in a secluded part of a contested territory of Cyprus and how they managed to overcome these obstacles present a unique case in terms of activist movements.
Unexpected achievements of public art initiatives of Suriçi proves that public art becoming the source of activism contributes to place-making and therefore urban policy-making profoundly. Studio 21's positive wave of impacts on every part of daily life of Suriçi has born in a street in 2016 and expanded to the whole city in 2017 and ever-growing, not only because public art activists' desires were aligned with the public, but also because Studio 21 was not perceived as 'institutional' by the public and empowered by localities and the local capital and thus, sincerely embraced by the public. All in all, a great potential for Suriçi to be the focus of change and publicity in Cyprus emerged into light, shifting the attention and the resources of urban planners in their strategic urban planning to artists in their endeavors to ameliorate their city for the better.