Leman Sevda Daricioglu

Leman Sevda Darıcıoğlu (1985, Izmir – lives & works in Berlin – Istanbul) focuses on the investigation/exploration of the physical/emotional boundaries and limitations of the human body. Taking this corporal research as a core, Darıcıoğlu engages with hegemonic political/social concepts and norms in their artistic practice, ranging from performance art to time- and space-based disciplines such as video, installation, and public interventions. When they need to define themself as an artist, they chooses to use the term Queer artist. Her* notion of queer refers not only to a realm beyond heterosexuality and binary gender but also to a platform beyond normativity as such.

Between 2012 and 2019, Darıcıoğlu was part of the advisory team for a series of queer theoretical writings called “Queer Düş’ün” [Queer Fantasy /Thought] and was the translator of several queer books in the selection, in Sel Publishing House. They also edited and compiled a queer theory book called “Queer Temaşa” [Queer Contemplation /Spectacle], which was also published as part of the series, again via Sel Publishing House (2016).

Leman Sevda Darıcıoğlu’s performances and artistic works have been shown at performance festivals, museums, and galleries in Turkey, Europe, and Asia, including Kunsthalle St Annen, Lübeck (2021); Schwules Museum, Berlin (2021); “unboxing: masculinities*”, University of Osnabrueck, Lingen (2021); Haus der Statistik, Berlin (2020); Apartment Project, Berlin (2020); Venice International Performance Art Week, Palazzo Mora, Venice (2020 & 2017); Future Ritual, Kunstraum, London (2019); Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair (2019); Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe (2019); and 18. Asia Biennale Bangladesh, Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka (2018), Jeonbuk Museum of Arts, Jeonju (2017).

In collaboration with GLADT E.V., Darıcıoğlu co-curated an online festival on the topic of queer heritage titled “Madi Ancestors” with Yener Bayramoğlu (2021) and a Queer art exhibition titled “Dream Pavillion” with Yekhan Pınarlıgil and Murat Alat within “Unexpected Territories” at the 26th Tüyap Istanbul Art Fair, Artist 2016, Istanbul, Turkey.

They were a member of Istanbul Queer Art Collective between 2014 – 2017.
Since 2017, she* has been represented by the international performance art platform Performistanbul: https://www.performistanbul.org

* As an artist who disagrees with the binary gender system, Leman Sevda Darıcıoğlu uses “she/her” as a strikethrough with an asterisk in writings and takes “they/them” in verbal language.