UNDER ATTACK
Meltem Evin Şahin’s works reveal how language goes beyond being a mere tool of communication and transforms into a mechanism of lynching and othering. Her artistic practice aims to make visible the micro aggressions and discrimination embedded in language, shaped by biases towards individuals’ ethnic origins, languages, and skin colors.
The artist examines the discriminatory attitudes hidden beneath seemingly innocent statements that have become ingrained in societal structures and are often expressed unconsciously. Questions like “Are you really Kurdish? You don’t look like one.” may appear harmless on the surface, yet they fundamentally question one’s identity and reinforce othering. Through her artistic language, Meltem Evin Şahin exposes the invisible pressure and identity struggles these statements create.
By questioning how language functions as a tool of power on both individual and societal levels, the artist invites the audience to confront their subconscious linguistic biases. Her works offer a critical perspective on the responsibility carried by language and its impact on social dynamics, aiming to raise awareness and challenge entrenched perceptions.
2024 – 2025, Wheel throwing and hand building, Porcelain on stoneware, 1280°, Various sizes (40 – 50 cm)
