Art Talks with Dora – Guest: Art Historian Arda Can Özsu

–Can you tell us about yourself?

I am an art historian and lecturer. I completed my bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral studies in art history. I value the dialectic of art and life by being involved both in academic research and in studios where art is created, thought about, and shared. I enjoy expressing myself through writing, playing with words, and experiencing ancient sites I’ve visited since childhood, which inspires me to dream. My journey in art history involves a perspective that seeks to understand the world better, become a more inclusive individual, advocate for the shared life of all beings, and make the unseen visible.

–What period or movement in art history do you find most intriguing?

In high school, I was initially drawn to the artistic and cultural works of Ancient Greece and Rome. Later, with exhibitions like those of Picasso, Dalí, and Miró at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum, I began to focus more on modern and contemporary art, specifically 20th-century art, history, philosophy, and literature.

–What factors do you consider most when evaluating an artwork?

I particularly value the realism movement that began with Gustave Courbet. His paintings, along with Proudhon’s philosophy, mark a shift from art focused on the privileged, often religious or ruling figures, towards socio-political, socio-cultural, and socio-economic interpretations. This shift has broadened art’s scope, moving it away from a purely landscape or portrait tradition to a more conceptual experience.

–How do you think art history influences today’s art world?

Contemporary art draws from a wide range of sources, from ancient times to Renaissance, modern, and contemporary movements. Contemporary or postmodern art often focuses on showing life’s rough edges, rather than idealizing it, and it values critical and questioning approaches.

–What changes do you think are necessary in art education today?

Given that contemporary art utilizes various evolving themes, I believe it requires educators who are open to new trends, avant-garde critics, collectors who value focus on specific subjects, and universities ready to expand knowledge pools.

–What makes an artwork “important” to you?

Using George Ritzer’s “McDonaldization of Society” as a starting point, I value artworks that encourage viewers to think in a more activist, conceptual, and critical way, challenging conformity and emphasizing human-animal-nature rights.

–What is the function of art criticism in today’s world? Does it help develop public understanding of art or risk alienating the audience?

Today, constructive criticism is needed in every field. Given that art is for everyone, I believe art criticism should be written in an accessible style, with philosophical concepts clarified through examples when necessary, to engage all art stakeholders.

–Which artworks or artists in art history have shocked viewers or critics and sparked major debates?

I’ll give two examples—one from modern and one from postmodern art. The first is Marcel Duchamp’s piece with a urinal labeled as a fountain, transforming an ordinary object into art and opening art to conceptual possibilities. Another is Maurizio Cattelan’s work “Comedian,” which used a banana and tape, reflecting transformation in the ordinary, and ignited discourse on the significance of ideas in contemporary art.

–What do you think of activists who damage cultural heritage artworks to attract attention?

This is a sensitive topic. It’s essential to consider the media’s role in choosing what to archive, display, or highlight. In a world of wars, massacres, natural disasters, and rights losses, the balance between art and life is vital. It’s a reality that activists aim to bring attention to these issues, often without causing permanent harm to artworks.

–Do you think most collectors are sufficiently knowledgeable about artworks?

I’d like to first mention the lack of importance given to social sciences in our country. This attitude has led to a lack of philosophical depth, literary language, artistic perspective, and cultural background, often causing individuals to approach art superficially in adulthood. Just as finding oneself is a journey, so is understanding art. Starting in a mature age can limit the depth of connection with art, often masking the true value of the process.