Can you picture a sculpture sparking national controversy? The Sonsuz Döngü Heykeli Sculpture might not have caused such a stir itself. But it is worth diving into the story of another Istanbul sculpture that did.
Today we are standing before the Sonsuz Döngü Heykeli Sculpture. But I want to tell you a tale of public art. It involves another sculpture called Güzel İstanbul.
Güzel İstanbul was created by Gürdal Duyar in 1973. It was part of a project celebrating the Turkish Republic’s 50th anniversary. The Istanbul Municipality commissioned 20 sculptures for the occasion.
Duyar’s Güzel İstanbul represented Istanbul as a nude female figure. Her arms were bound by a chain. This chain symbolized the Byzantine defensive chain. That chain once blocked the Golden Horn. It kept out the Ottoman fleet in 1453. The woman breaking free signified the Ottoman conquest.
The Sonsuz Döngü Heykeli Sculpture we see stands in a different time. But imagine the climate surrounding Güzel İstanbul. The sculpture was erected in Karaköy Square in March 1974. This is a busy public space.
Some Turkish media and politicians deemed it obscene. They demanded its removal. The controversy strained Turkey’s coalition government. After nine days of debate, Güzel İstanbul was toppled. It was significantly damaged on March 18.
The Güzel İstanbul Affair stirred passions. Deputy Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan called it immoral. The Interior Minister said it disgraced Turkish mothers. But intellectuals defended the sculpture’s right to exist.
On the night of March 18 Güzel İstanbul was removed. Its arm was broken. Its plinth motifs were destroyed. The sculpture sat on a pile of sand.
Intellectuals protested this act of vandalism. Cartoonists mocked the censorship. The Association of Turkish Sculptors organized an exhibition. It centered on the theme of nudity.
In May 1974 Güzel İstanbul was moved. It was relocated to Yıldız Park. There, it was left lying under a tree. Eventually, it was re-erected on a makeshift plinth. As of 2023 Güzel İstanbul remains in Yıldız Park. It is damaged.
Güzel İstanbul’s story shows how art can ignite debate. It also demonstrates Istanbul’s complex relationship with public sculpture. The Sonsuz Döngü Heykeli Sculpture stands as a testament to artistic expression. It reminds us of the power and controversy art can evoke.