OTOPORTRE

BY UMAY YILMAZ KUTAY, MAY 2023

“I’m kneading myself. I leave it in whichever form I like myself better. Then it breaks down and I knead it again. I’m looking for myself at every moment in 24 hours. I’m regenerating. We will see what happens in silence, as I try to create myself, as I touch myself, as I merge with my soul.”

Umay has been discussing how in the present era, everything undergoes rapid and constant transformation, rendering a single photograph or the static concept of "I" insufficient for capturing a self-portrait.


In a thought-provoking performance, during which the start and end times were signed by the designated supervisors, Şenay Özok and Erol Kutay, the artist embarked on a 24-hour journey of self-discovery. Every hour, the artist was photographed in the performance area by Erol Kutay. While viewers were free to spend time in the performance area, interaction with the artist was restricted (entry beyond marked boundaries was prohibited). The artist's confined space contained only essential materials such as water and the intended food. The artist would only leave the area to use the restroom. Any communication device was prohibited for the artist, and the entire 24-hour performance was recorded by CCTV cameras, with live footage showcased on KOZO’s outdoor old style PC monitors.