(in collaboration with türkischer Frauenverein Berlin)
Tea Sugar Dream explores the concept of joy in collaboration with women* from the first generation of migrants from Turkey who came to Berlin in the 60s-80s as guest workers or family members of guest workers. Evolving around the question of how happiness and unhappiness are distributed and located in certain bodies and groups, the project focuses on the experiences of aged women, many of whom do not speak German and face challenges such as low-treshold work and unpaid care work after arriving in Germany, dealt with migration melancholy. The project comprises periodic meetings, gatherings, and group conversations in both private and public spheres. The events are open and free of charge for all women and non-binaries with migration experience who can speak Turkish.
(Photographs of this project are restricted to the public at the request of participants for privacy.)
The credits of the images used in the collage: Claude Cahun, Emine Can, Elinor Carucci, Ergun Çağatay, Eda Çekil, İpek Çınar, Sabiha Çimen, Elin Danielson-Gambogi, Zehra Doğan, Isadora Duncan, Charles C. Ebbests, JR, Thomas Kelley and William Leftwich, Abigail Heyman, Lewis Hine, Frida Kahlo, Phillippe Kahn, Gülsüm Karamustafa, Rinko Kawauchi, Cem Kaya, Sean Lee, Steve Mccurry, Martin Parr, Monica Rohan, Julian Opie, Aslı Özdemir, Ali Saltan, Lieko Shiga, Alec Soth, Newsha Tavakolian, Erdem Varol, Carrie Mae Weems, William Wegman, Rachel Whiteread, John Williams.
Despite all my efforts, I was unable to identify the authors or rights holders of all images in this collage. Please address me for further notice.
Collective collage produce by Hilal Bozkurt, Emine Can, Julianne Chua, İpek Çınar, Gülşen Dur, Aysel Özçoban, Nevim Şen and Nursena Topcuoglu
Poster of final event, Altın Günü.
Designed by Nursena Topcuoğlu
Final kısır&karaoke party playlist, curated from the songs participants have sung. Feel free to add your favorite gurbet songs!
Workshop participants who contributed to the selection and development of workshop topics (no particular order): Emine Can, Doğa Akyürek, Aysel Özçoban, Gülşen Dur, Gülten Abacı, Nevim Şen, Beser Sonar, Sevim Tezcan, Melike Türkmen, Latife Faydalı, Türkan Akis.
Workshop lecturers (in chronological order): Yasemin Köker, Gizem Aksu, Hilal Bozkurt, Nursena Topcuoğlu.
Special thanks to my supervisors Kristina Leko and Oscar Ardila Luna; Selda Asal and Apartment Project Berlin for hosting us at the final event; Nachbarschaftsgarten Kreuzberg for hosting us during the first workshop; and the Institut für Kunst im Kontext for providing valuable teachings.