The Sound of Hair Pulling
Performance and Installation 2021 © Kavachi
Photo by Anya Marchenkova
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The Sound of Hair Pulling​ is a performance based Kavachi's personal experience with the Turkish army. In Turkey, military service is obligatory, unless there is a health-related issue that grants with an exemption, of them — non-traditional sexual orientation. When the artist was conscripted to the army, since he did not want to be a soldier, he decided to inform the competent authority of being gay in order to get a so-called “pink certificate”. This required an examination by military doctors and psychologists, which turned out to be a ridiculous drama and a humiliating experience. An absurd phrase of the doctors: “You have hair on your arms, so you can’t be gay!” provided a motif for this piece.

During the performance, the artist sits at a table, pulling out hairs from the arm and composing a letter by glueing them to an A5 paper. The process continues until the author finishes the sentence: „I don't want to be a soldier not because I am a furry* but because I don't want to point a gun at anyone“.

*A furry is a subcultural character covered with hair, represents different sexual orientations.

The project is supported by SAHA Association at the 6th Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2021