Unveiled: attitudes on exhibition

The Mahrem exhibition at Santralistanbul until Novemer 21st is dedicated to the most divisive issue in present-day Turkish politics: veiling.

Nilüfer Göle, the sociologist who had the idea for the exhibition, defines Mahrem as "the wider semantic field of what is forbidden, inviolable, secret, sacred and also what is entitled to reverence and respect".

Turkish artists claim to be globalised, but in this case regionalised would be the more appropriate word. One Turkish artist, four Iranians, a Syrian and two Europeans contributed to Mahrem. Though some of the artworks are neutral, the overall impression is that the Islamic veil is oppressive or absurd. When Nezaket Ekici, a Turkish artist living in Berlin, starts putting on headscarves in her video, she preens in the mirror as if she were putting on make-up. But 25 scarves later, what started as an exercise in ornamentation has become a heavy burden.

Samer Barkaoui, who is Syrian, videotaped three women in head-to-toe black veils, giggling as they pose for each other with a pocket camera. The effect is comical; the viewer can see no difference whatsoever between photographer and model.

By blacking out fashion advertisements with markers, Shahram Entekhabi's Little Black Dress (left) mocks the Iranian obsession with covering women, and alludes to censorship of books and magazines coming into Iran.

The Mahram exhibition coincides with a highly controversial constitutional amendment that would allow women to wear headscarves at Turkish universities. "Deep inside, we're afraid of becoming a radical Islamist country," says Emre Baykal, the curator. "But on the other hand, I am very much disturbed by the unfair treatment of believers . . . I tried to create a visual platform for this discussion."