“This Exhibition Captures the Image of Masculinity; Burns Its Negatives!”
With his second solo exhibition Eli Cebinde Gezen Erkekler at x-ist, Burak Dak invites the audience into the laboratory of toxic masculinity. The exhibition, in the artist’s own words, marks “an emotional and narrative turning point.” As he emphasized in the interview:
"I am telling how the male world has become distorted and how society is being ravaged by this degeneration. Every piece here is a call for confrontation."
“Rebellion Woven into Paper: Masculinity Speaking Through the Language of Material”
In his 10 works in the exhibition, Burak Dak pushes the boundaries of paper. Sharing technical details in the interview, he says, “I worked with chalk pastel, graphite, and water-based materials on paper. I challenged both the material and the size; this exhibition is an unconventional challenge.” Every line in the artist’s works seems determined to break down the invisible walls of toxic masculinity.
“Hidden in the Pocket of Patriarchy: The Revolution of Fragility”
The irony in the exhibition title reflects Burak Dak’s mise-en-scène: “The hands in the pocket represent the control obsession behind the mask of ease. These figures, while feeding on dominance, ignore the destruction within them.” The artist poses a striking question to the audience:
“Is masculinity a performance or a prison? My answers are on the canvas; the viewer’s interpretation is free.”
Dak’s works present empathy not as weakness, but as a tool of resistance, shouting, “A masculinity at peace with its emotions, turning fragility into strength, is possible.”
Why is This Exhibition a Manifesto?
Rebellion of Material: The dance of pencil and pastel with paper offers a fluid resistance against the rigidity of societal norms.
Numerical Symbolism: The 10 pieces represent 10 different faces of toxic masculinity. Each invites the viewer to ask, “Which one am I?”
The Meaning of Space: The exhibition, located across from Gezi Park, ties the theme of freedom and resistance with its geographical context.
In Burak Dak’s words: “Come, face what you’ve hidden in your own pocket in this exhibition. Maybe those hands are yours.”
Details:
Date: March 6 – April 5, 2025
Location: x-ist, Gümüşsuyu (Next to AKM, Across from Gezi Park)
Hashtags: #EliCebindeGezenErkekler #BurakDakXist #MaskelerDüşüyor
