In “Swinging on the Stars” premiering with this exhibition, Tenger transforms three wise monkeys1 figurines which were also used in her previous works, into three-dimensional animated images. A classic Jazz song “Swinging on a Star” from 40’s accompanies three wise monkeys figurines dancing in the depths of space.
Focusing once more on the collective traumas caused by social and political history of Turkey, in her recent works Tenger re-interprets the three wise monkeys and star patterns alsoused in "Necessity of Air" (1992) and "I Know People Like This II" (1992); as well as Xray imagery in her previous works. In a recently exhibited work "I Know People Like This III" (2013) Tenger invites the viewers to confront with the images of violence documenting political history of Turkey since 1950's. The "ghostly-ness" of the images transferred onto X-ray sheets in “I Know People Like This III” (2013) is appropriated into three wise monkey figurines in “Swinging on the Stars”. Tenger prefers a humorous approach in “Swinging on the Stars” in contrast to the gloomy atmosphere in her previous grid-like installation. In “Swinging on the Stars” she invites the viewers to question the structures enabling the sustainability of ignorance and lack of moral responsibility. Tracing a ghostly materiality in both works, Tenger brings forward the issues of social state of affairs swinging between reminiscence and oblivion as well as whitewash and confrontation through an ironic joy in "Swinging on the Stars".
