Short Biography

Short Biography Gizem Aksu is contemporary dancer and choreograph interested in the relationality among art, politics and philosophy. She received her BA degrees from Contemporary Dance Department of Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts and Political Science & International Relations of Boğaziçi University with honor degrees. She has just entered to Contemporary Dance Department for M.A degree. She has given theorotical and practical focus on autobiographic solo performances. Her research on autobiography questions what are the space and time in which body as a “becoming” situates around the relationship between micropolitics of self and the macropolitics of systems in chaos. Besides her professional dance engagement, She has been writing contemporary art critiques for the journals on Internet. She has been arranging body workshops for queer people experiencing sociopolitical pressure due to their sexual preferences and practices. She has been doing also public space performance in Ankara and Istanbul especially about ‘queering the body and sound’ with the collaboration of Ah! Kosmos (a.k.a Başak Günak). Moreover, she has recently performed with Ah! Kosmos as a live visual artist in the local and international concerts. Since 2009, she has participated in several international festivals and biennial as creative performer in Holland, Germany and Turkey. Recently, she has invited by Ann van den Broek (Ward/waRD) and also by Meg Stuart for her new research project “Closer” in Vienna. In September, she will participate in Residency “Park In Progress” in Mons, Belgium. http://gzmaksu.wordpress.com Curriculum Vitae PERSONAL INFORMATION Gizem Aksu 09.11.1987 Istanbul/ Turkey [email protected] http://gzmaksu.wordpress.com 00 90 5355558867 EDUCATION • 2014 2010; Contemporary Dance Department, Istanbul Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. Second Bachelor Degree. • 2005 – 2010; Department of Political Science and International Relations, Boğaziçi University (The Bosphorus University). Bachelor Degree. RESIDENCY/INVITATION/DEGREE • Invited by Ann van den Broek WArd/waRD, June 2014 • Accepted by Meg Stuart to " Closer" (Research Project) in Impulstanz 2014 • Invited by Transcultures/Park in Progress Residency in Mons, September 2014 • Honor Degree and The Highest Ranking Student of the Department, Contemporary Dance Department, Istanbul Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University • Honor Degree, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Boğaziçi University WORK EXPERIENCE International Performances • Ann Van den Broek, Variations. Visibility in Art Festival, 29 April 2014. Dancer • Ann Van den Broek, Variations. Fulya Sanat Merkezi, 8 March 2014. Dancer • Aakash Odedra&Atri Nundy, Snatched. MSUFA Bomonti Campus, Sebnem Selışık Aksan Stage, 13.12.2013; 06..01.2014. Creative Dancer • Ann Van den Broeck, Variations. MSUFA Bomonti Campus, Sebnem Selışık Aksan Stage, 20.12.2013; 06.01.2014. Dancer • Tuğçe Tuna, Displacement. ARENA... of the young arts 23rd international week of young theatre Nüremberg\Germany, 29 June 2013. Jury’s Special Award. Creative Performer • Malin Arnell; Untitled (Just Because Everything Is Different Does Not Mean Anything Has Changed). 12th Istanbul Biennial Parallel Event, 2011. Creative Performer • Kardeş Türküler Project; For a New Day. Boğaziçi Performing Arts Ensemble. Harbiye Açıkhava Theatre, 2011. Choreograph and Dancer • Kardeş Türküler Project, Holland Tour (Utrecht, Nijmegen, Rotterdam, Breda, Zaandam, Amsterdam, Eindhoven). Boğaziçi Performing Arts Ensemble. 915 December, 2010. Dancer • Kardeş Türküler Project, Journey with Songs of Fraternity. Boğaziçi Performing Arts Ensemble. Harbiye Açıkhava Theatre, 2010. Dancer • Sharon Hayes, I Didn‘t Know I Loved You. 11th Istanbul Biennial, 2009. Creative Performer • Brooke O’ Harra, Slippery Slope.11th Istanbul Biennial Parallel Event, 2009. Playwright and Creative Performer Regional Performances • Sebnem Yüksel, Gitme Demedin, Sebnem Selışık Aksan Sahnesi June 2014 Creative Dancer •Tuğçe Tuna, Show of Strength, 19. IKSV International Theatre Festival Visibility in Art Festival, 17&18 May 2014. Creative Performer • Tuğçe Tuna, Chip Off!, Visibility in Art Festival, 25 April 2014. Creative Performer • Gizem Bilgen, Liminal. Akbank Sanat, 5&6 March 2014. Creative Dancer • Tuğçe Tuna, Residue. Istanbul Modern Art Museum, 28 September & 1 October 2013. Creative • Tuğçe Tuna, Chip Off!, Hezarfen Airport, 7&8 September 2013. Creative Performer • Tuğçe Tuna, Dance with Different Bodies. Caddebostan Center for Culture, 14 May 2013. Dancer • Alper Marangoz & Beril Senoz, Normal. MSUFA Bomonti Campus, Sebnem Selışık Aksan Stage. 11,15,18 May 2013. Dancer OWN ARTISTIC WORKS Research/Workshop • "The Feast of Specters" Iniated by Gizem Aksu Live Sound by Ah! Kosmos April 28, 2014, Visibility in Art Festival • Body Workshops for LGBTQ People February 26, 2013 İstanbul October 27, 2013 İstanbul June 21, 2011 İstanbul December 4, 2010 Eskisehir Installation • “Organik Kan(a)ma Bulusmaları” (A Meeting for Organic Bleeding) Created by Gizem Aksu Performed by Işıl Derya Bıçakçı MSUFA Bomonti Campus, March 8, 2013 Women’s Day, March 13, 2013, “Symposium: “Thinking Contemporary Sociology: For Pınar Selek Performing Arts • “Now I'm thinking about how hard it would be for you if you disappeared.” "Şimdi düşünüyorum da senin icin yok olmak ne zor olurdu?" Concept: Gizem Aksu Performance: Gizem Aksu & Ah! Kosmos Sebnem Selışık Aksan Stage June 4 2014 ;I nstitut francais at Beyoglu, February 20, 2014 • “tenacious: improvising for the relationship among philosophy, art and politics” Performance & Text: Gizem Aksu Duration: 15’ CATI Dance Contemporary Dance Artists Association, March 7, 2013 • “Open Mic Istanbul” Performance & Text: Gizem Aksu Duration: 15’ Institut francais at Beyoglu, February 1, 2013 • “What can a body do?” Performance: Gizem Aksu Duration: 4 hours 30 minutes • “Tarla” ( The Field) Choreography:Gizem Aksu Performance: Gizem Aksu, Boysan Yakar Sound Design: Başak Günak (Ah! Kosmos) Music: Fairmont, Gazebo Light Design: Zilan Kaki Duration: 28’ MSUFA Bomonti Campus, Sebnem Selısık Aksan Stage , 28 May 2012. • “Tuzsuz Olsun!” (Insipid!) Concept: Aydın Teker Choreography: Gizem Aksu Performance: Ezgi Künktakan, Gizem Aksu, Gülce Ozbatur, Pınar Coşkun, Ulke Güneşülke, Yasin Anar. Duration: 8’ MSUFA Bomonti Campus, Sebnem Selısık Aksan Stage , 30 May 2012. • “de bevoua” Choreography: Gizem Aksu Performance: Gizem Aksu, Işıl Derya Bıçakçı Duration: 6’ MSUFA Bomonti Campus, Sebnem Selısık Aksan Stage, 01 June 2012 • “;Merkezkac?” Choreography & Performance: Gizem Aksu Music: Kardeş Türküler, Kerwane Duration: 15’ II. Alternative Media Festival, 23rd December 2012 MSUFA Bomonti Campus, Sebnem Selısık Aksan Stage, June 2010 • “15kare” Choreography: Gizem Aksu Performance: Ezgi Künktakan, Gizem Aksu, Ulke Güneşülke Sound Design: Başak Günak (Ah!Kosmos) Music: Bade Okuçuoğlu (vox) Nihal Albayrak (Clarinet) Thievery Corporation Lighting: Ezgi Aygün Urav Duration: 35’ Beyoglu Maya Theater, 20 June 2011 • “Hangisini Secerdin?” (Which one you ‘prefer’?) Choreography: Gizem Aksu Performance: Gasia Papazyan, Gizem Aksu, Ulke Güneşülke Sound Design: Başak Günak (Ah!Kosmos) Music: Kardeş Türküler Duration: 12’ 6th International Meeting Against Homophobia, Ankara ,May 2011 Bogazici University May 2011 MSUFA Bomonti Campus 09 March 2011 • “Nefretim Elimde!” (With Hatred in My Hand!) Concept & Performance: Gizem Aksu, Sema Semih XLarge Performance Hall, 17th Lesbian, Gay, Transvestite and Transsexual Pride Week, 25 June 2009 Film • “Boyle Giremezsiniz!” Documentary, 2010 This documentary (prepared between 20082010) is about women wearing headscarf in the Bosphorus University. It has been screened at different places both in Turkey and abroad. The Project Collectivity: Aslı Sakalllı, Burcu Tokat, Deniz Nihan Aktan, Elif Sakin, Gizem Aksu, Gülsüm Kavuncu,Oykü Tümer, Senem Kara, Sümeyye Kavuncu, Sebnem Keniş Editing: Senem Kara, Oykü Tümer Colloquy: Aslı Sakalllı, Burcu Tokat,Burcu Kalpaklıoğlu, Damla Ozakay,Deniz Nihan Aktan, Elif Sakin, F.Cansu Varol, Gizem Aksu, Gülsüm Kavuncu, Oykü Tümer, Senem Kara, Sümeyye Kavuncu, Sebnem Keniş Camera &Sound: Deniz Nihan Aktan, Elif Sakin, Gizem Aksu, Senem Kara, Oykü Tümer, Gülsüm Kavuncu PostProduction: Boğaziçi University Mithat Alam Film Center and Boğaziçi Performing Arts Ensemble Text & Transcription: Collective Women .Work Sound Mixing: Mehmet Ozveren, Ferhat Güneş Colour Correction: Elif Ergezen, Uluç Esen Poster Design: Gülsüm Kavuncu, Deniz Nihan Aktan Subtitles: Mehmet Ozveren, Senem Kara • “An*sızın” Short Film, 2004 Directing: Gizem Aksu, Orçun Yıldırım Screenplay: Gizem Aksu Acting: Asuman Cakıroğlu, Gizem Aksu, Orçun Yıldırım The film was awarded with Jury’s Special Award in Short Film Competition of High Schools hold by Istanbul Erkek Lisesi. Play • “Kaygan Zemin” (Slippery Slope) Live Soap Opera, 2009 Directing: Brooke O'Harra Playwright: Gizem Aksu, Sanem Ilce, Seyhan Arman 11th International Istanbul Biennial Parallel Event; 14, 15 & 16 September 2009 • “Nefes Al, NefesVer, Gazometre!” (Gasometer: Inhale and Exhale!) Playwright: Gizem Aksu Reading: Aybike Esin Tumluer Mentoring: Emre Koyuncuoğlu It was written for and performed in 8th Hasanpaşa GasHouse Festival, 2009 • “Kofra” (Cutout Box) It was written, but not to be staged, for the course of playwriting instructed by Emre Koyuncuoğlu at Bosphorus University in 2009. ARTICLE & REVIEW & INTERVIEW Academic Articles • Ann Van den Broek: The Construction of Transparent Selves 11.01.2014; http://mimesisdergi.org/2014/01/annvan­ denbroektransparanbenlerininsasi/ • “Swan : A Metaphor and Dual Pole”s 14.02.2012, http://mimesisdergi.org/2012/02/kugubirmetaforikikutup/ • “Jose Arcadio Limon ve Limon Technique” 30.01.2012, http://www.bgst.org/dans/ http://mimesisdergi.org/ • “Body as A Space For Activism: Workshops on Body” Feminist Approaches in Culture and Politics, No: 13, March 2011. http://www.feministyaklasimlar.org/) • “Interpretation of the Panel as “Approaches towards Folklore in Turkey” in ODTU” BUFK, Folklore Roots Magazine; No: 68, 2009 • “Ballet and Modern Dance” Notes from pesentation of the book, Ballet and Modern Dance of Susan Au, was pblished at http://www.bgst.org/ • “To Looking at Positionality of the Audience With the Eyes of Richard Schechner” Written for the course, the Play and the Stage, 2010 • “Perfomance of Trans Identity in ’Guldunya’ Scene” BUKAK, Women Agenda in Boğaziçi University, No:15, November 2008 BUFK, Folk Roots Magazine; No: 68, 2009 Kaos GL Magazine, No: 105; MarchApril 2009 • “A Feminist Anaylsis and ‘From We Stand: War, Women’s Activism’ from Cynthia Cockburn” BUKAK, Women Agenda in Boğaziçi University, No:13, November 2007 Contemporary Art Reviews • Poeticalness of May 31th 2014,"Consciousness Rises with Resistance" 03.06.2014; http://mimesis­dergi.org/2014/06/74694/ • Stand Fast! 13.05.2013; http://mimesisdergi.org/2013/05/kitadur/ • The Site Should be always there 10.02.2013; http://mimesisdergi.org/2013/02/santiye%E2%80%A6herzamanyapimasamasindaolsun/ • Meg Stuart, How are the different contexts constructed? 01.02.2013; http://mimesisdergi.org/2013/02/megstuartfarklibaglamlarnasilyaratilir2/ • Creation, Gap and Academy 05.10.2012; http://mimesisdergi.org/2012/10/yaratiboslukveakademi/ • Kuyruguma Basıldıkca Sustum! 26.09.2012; http://mimesisdergi.org/2012/09/kuyrugumabasildikcasustum/ • Minor Notes on ‘Movement’ 05.06.2012; http://mimesisdergi.org/2012/06/“hareket”edairufaknotlar/ • La La La... Yawningly.... 16.05.2012, written for the course of Dance History • Sound Architecture of Alva Noto: A Composition Analysis 06.03.2012, http://mimesisdergi.org/2012/03/alvanotosesmimarisibirkompozisyonanalizialvanotoses mimarisibir­ kompozisyonanalizi/ • FordMarh1 in Bagdat, A Beer Factory in Bomonti 02.02.2012; http://mimesisdergi.org/2012/02/bagdat%E2%80%99tafordmach1bomonti%E2%80%99debirbira fabrikasi/ • ZEYbreak 06.10.2010; http://mimesisdergi.org/2010/10/zeybreak/ • Frontiers? 29.09.2010; http://mimesis dergi.org/2010/09/sinirlar/ Interviews • With Aslı Bostancı, 08.07.2014 http://mimesis­dergi.org/2014/07/hikayeyi­kristale­yansitinca­bir­isen­seni­arti­bir­ yapiyor/ • With Bahar Temiz, 02.11.2013 http://mimesisdergi.org/2013/11/bahartemizseyircigorduguilebasbasaveistedigini­ gormekteozgur/ • With Sebnem Aksan and Bahar Vidinlioglu, 09.12.2012 http://mimesisdergi.org/2012/12/2012baleuzerine/ • With Aydın Silier, 04.09.2012 http://mimesisdergi.org/2012/09/aydinsilierileidansikonustuk/ • With Airan Berg, 04.09.2012 http://mimesisdergi.org/2012/09/airanbergileikediuzerine/ • With Esra Yurttut, 07.01.2012 http://mimesisdergi.org/2012/01/surekliaramayadevam%E2%80%A6/ • With Martin Zimmerma& Dimitri de Perrot, 07.06.2012 http://mimesisdergi.org/2012/06/asililhamkaynagimiz­ sokaktakiinsanlar/ • With Yesim Coskun, 27.04.2011 http://mimesisdergi.org/2011/04/ozgurbiralanozgurbirsanatdali/ • With Aslı Ozturk, 30.01.2011 http://mimesisdergi.org/2011/01/birdelibirkuyuyatasatarsa%E2%80%A6%E2%80%9D/