CRISIS

*Metnin Türkçesi 2009 April imi altında "Kriz" başlığında mevcuttur.

December 2008, Istiklal Avenue, Istanbul, Turkiye

There is an obvious chaos going on all over the world on the basis of so-called economic crisis. Before the crisis itself begins to effect people’s daily life who are not acknowledged with theoretical knowledge of the economy the fear of the crisis and economical precautions started to govern people’s way of living and make them suffer. Whoever has a chance to do it, began to keep money, even to make more money over the claim of crisis by asking for inhumane favors from whomever they could. The street performance “Crisis” is based on this inhumane favors asked from people within the excuse of crisis.
The Performance is performed by two individuals in three parts:
1st Part is based on an absurd and illogical request being asked to the individuals walking down the 'Istiklal Avenue’ (the most crowded area of Istanbul). While the first performer tries to convince people to take a deep breath from an oxygen mask and hold their breath until they arrive their final destination, the second performer holds an oxygen mask trying to supply a deep breath for the trip. This absurd request is said to be helpful for the society to overcome the crisis, with the minimum damage.

2nd Part of the "Crisis" performance is humanizing the economic crisis. The first performer with two stickers on the back and front that wrote ‘Crisis’ is meant to substitute for crisis. There are also an absurd make up on her face and bells on her ankles to take attention on the street (as much as the crisis). She starts to walk across İstiklal Avenue as she is a guardian blocking people to pass. The second performer is like everyone passing by until the action begins. When they face each other 'the crisis' informs the passer-by that there is a crisis in that particular area (pointing around herself) so she has to pass right beside her. When the second performer tries to cross by her side ‘the crisis’ stops her again telling her exact same meaningless explanation. This sequence continues across the whole street until the second performer gives up and goes back to where she was coming from.
The 3rd Part of the performance starts and goes on by two performers representing ‘crisis’. They are both dressed up as ‘The Crisis’ (as in the 2nd part of the performance). Only there are cards written ‘foot steps of the crisis’ attached to their lower legs. They distribute flyers which says: "Under very hard conditions citizens are welcomed to have a job opportunity. Long working hours! No payment! No other supplies!"
The performances became more and more interactive while processing. People gave reactions that attracted attention of the others. These performances had become an open platform that people were free to react and share.