Press statement:
"We, the Board of Directors of International Plastic Artists Association (IAA), strongly condemn the life-threatening knife attack on our chairperson Mr. Bedri Baykam and his assistant, Ms. Tuba Kurtulmus, following a key-note press conference on the 'Statue of Humanity' by sculptor Mehmet Aksoy at The Akatlar Culture and Convention Center in Istanbul on April 18th, 2011.
This attack was directly targeted at Bedri Baykam, who is a prominent Kemalist, Republican, modern defender of art. Such a pre-meditated attack is yet another example of mobbing, oppression and assault targeted at artists and intellectuals exercising freedom of speech and expression in Turkey. "
Bahri Genc
Vice-Chairperson
UNESCO - AIAP
The Turkish National Committee of the IAA
Association of Plastic Arts
Safiye Mine Erdurak
Berna Erkun
Hulya Kupcuoglu
Melik Iskender
Murat Havan
FROM BEDRİ BAYKAM - PRESIDENT / TURKISH COMMITTEE
TO THE NATIONAL COMMITTEES OF IAA EUROPE
7TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IAA EUROPE :
The IAA card is a certification of professional working artist status given to anybody that qualifies to those norms, by each National Committees', specialized commissions, in our International organisation.
There are many artists in Europe, that have the IAA card and that can not get a visa to travel to several western countries. That creates a very unfair assault to freedom of expression as well as to the concept of fair competition in the field of art.
We suggest therefore that IAA Europe should suggest to the European Community, that any artist carrying a valid IAA card, should be granted an automatic visa by the country to be visited within the E.U.
This proposal is given to the General Assembly for being voted in order to have IAA Europe give this urgent demand to the members of the E.U. Parliament, as a law proposal that will open the path of entry of the artists, to the country of their choice. This "Free circulation" should also include preferably all intellectual workers.
MOTIVES :
Altough we can never be sure at all this law proposal will pass in the E.U. Parliament, even if it's returned, still by making this proposal valid:
1. The IAA Europe will have the relief of having put pressure on this field, in order to have equal opportunity of work for every artist in Europe.
2. It will be up to the politicians to decide that important matter after they consult lawyers, immigration officers, sociologs, historians and concerned ministeries such as interior&exterior.
3. Even if this law proposal does not pass, the fact that this issue will be talked in depth between the politicians and the IAA for the first time, will leave its marks as a step for making better effort to solve this cultural and political issue.
In a world where everybody talks about cultural diversity and exchange, the IAA Europe, should remember all its members that can not truly participate to this call.
(Suggested to the General Assembly by Bedri Baykam (Turkey) and passed on 16.10.2010)
TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IAA EUROPE
PROPOSAL FOR A RESOLUTION AGAINST CENSORSHIP
The new policies evolving around the political context of the world, should acknowledge all the current informations and fresh datas in order to be able to take some serious political action. Every country should be assessed with the latest news coming from it.
The problem of state censorship on art works may they be paintings, sculptures, videos, films or any mixed media as well as theather plays is unacceptable within the borders covered by IAA Europe.
Also the freedom of expression of journalists and writers and all media intellectual workers, should be kept safe and intact. It is also not acceptable to have those media intellectual workers jailed for any intellectual reason.
Besides obvious human rights issues, such an act brings down a very unfavorable climate towards the spirit of the freedom of art and culture as well as its free and healthy development.
The proposal is to bring with this resolution, to make an open call to the E.U. Parliament with also a cooperation with UNESCO, to take political actions against any state within IAA Europe that would be quality of such offenses against art, artists, writers and all intellectual workers without any exception.
(Suggested to the General Assembly by Bedri Baykam (Turkey) and Anders Liden (Sweden)
and passed on 16.10.2010)
TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IAA EUROPE
RESOLUTION REGARDING CULTURAL / POLITICAL CONFLICTS
Several incidents that have happened in Europe as well as elsewhere in the last months and years, have shown rising conflicts around the concept of democracy especially between religious demands on law and lifestyles and those of secular laws and lifestyles, within the borders of democratic nations.
This proposal is to bring a resolution that has the objective to find an acceptable basic mutual understanding in this rising atmosphere of conflict between different cultures and the ensuing clashes.
The resolution is to bring in a basic statement regarding this actual situation:
"When conflicts arise between different lifestyles cultures and religions, it has to be accepted that all lifestyles are ‘untouchable’ and ‘sacred’ as one another, not just religious ones. The rights of an artist or a contemporary secular democratic person are also as ‘untouchable’ as the rights of any believers to any religion".
(Suggested to the General Assembly by Bedri Baykam (Turkey) and Anders Liden (Sweden)
and passed on 16.10.2010)
