Sculptor Mehmet Aksoy to sue prime minister

Sunday, January 23, 2011

VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

With the 'Monument of Humanity,' sculpted by Mehmet Aksoy in the eastern city of Kars, already a subject of controversy, authorities are delaying the installation of Aksoy’s broken-winged white dove statue, which he has dedicated to Hrant Dink, and he is planning to sue Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. 'The Monument of Humanity, dedicated to Turkish and Armenian people, and even the little broken-winged white dove are enough to scare some people,' Aksoy says

Turkish sculptor Mehmet Aksoy has decided to take legal actions after not being permitted to finish his “Monument of Humanity” in Kars and not being able to exhibit his broken-winged white dove statue made in memory of assassinated Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink. The intervention in his attempts to further friendship between Turkish and Armenian people spurred Aksoy to take action.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent description of Aksoy’s Monument of Humanity as “freakish” and his order to demolish it was the final straw, Aksoy said. Speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review, Aksoy said he was preparing to sue Erdoğan and that he would publicly announce the lawsuit at a press conference in the next few days.

If the Monument of Humanity, which began construction in 2006, had been completed, it would be 35 meters tall and 300 tons. The statue, in two parts symbolizing Cain and Abel in the holy book, would have symbolized the Turkish and Armenian peoples. One of the pieces would have shed tears to show regret.

During his visit to Kars a few weeks ago, Erdoğan said the height of the hill where the statue was placed was equal to the height of the Seyyid Hasal El Harakani tomb and mosque, arguing that the statue would overshadow the historic edifices, and ordered its demolition.

“The Monument of Humanity and a small, broken-winged dove were enough to scare some people,” said Aksoy. “I understand that the concepts of friendship and brotherhood bother some people. They are against the reconciliation of the Turkish and Armenian people. But despite all these, the two publics will find their own way and nobody will be able to prevent it.”

White dove prevented

Aksoy completed his sculpture of a broken-winged white dove coincidentally just a short time before daily Agos editor-in-chief Dink was assassinated on Jan. 19, 2007. Aksoy knew Dink closely; he decided to place the sculpture at the place where his body fell. The dove would have symbolized Dink. After meeting with Dink’s family, he applied to the Şişli Municipality and the plan was approved.

“They first gave me permission and work started on the installation of the piece. But later, they took a step backward, citing various reasons. One of the reasons was that the glass was slippery and would cause people to fall and break their leg. Although I told them that I would find nonskid glass, they did not change their mind,” Aksoy said. “They not only prevented the white dove sculpture from being erected, they also said they would name the avenue after Hrant but they have not.”

In response to Aksoy’s claims, Şişli Deputy Mayor Vasgen Barın, who has Armenian heritage, said they agreed to let Aksoy install the dove, but he did not meet the requirements. “We told him to find nonskid glass but he could not. We told him that the sculpture should be 1.2 by 0.6 meters, but it was 1.2 by 1.2.”

Refuting Barın’s claims, Aksoy said: “I told them to narrow the area where the sculpture would be placed rather than downsize the sculpture, but they did not accept this. These are just excuses.”

‘I don’t have financial expectations’

Barın said: “Aksoy did not make the sculpture for Dink. He decided later to dedicate it to him.” Aksoy noted: “I do not deny that I made the sculpture before his death, I told this to Dink’s family, too. I don’t understand what they are trying to say. I don’t have any financial expectations, either. Should I have made the sculpture after the assassination?”

Speaking about the recent unpleasant developments about his works, Aksoy said: “We artists and other right-minded people are prevented from doing something. Moreover, the municipal official whom I talked to, Barın, is Armenian, but no one wants to lose their job. We draw attention to sensitive issues. We want to serve peace and friendship.”