THE AUDIOVISUAL AESTHETICS AND POLITICS OF GAYE SU AKYOL’S MUSIC

Year 2025, Volume: 15 Issue: 1, 1 - 15

Çağrı Yılmaz

https://doi.org/10.7456/tojdac.1559760

Abstract

This textual study explores the politically motivated art of female musical artist Gaye Su Akyol, through which she opposes power-based inequities. Akyol’s music partakes of local and global musical idioms, with politically charged lyrics and allegorical music videos, all of which warrant in-depth analysis. To this end, the research initially presents an overview of Akyol’s background and Anatolian rock, her primary source of inspiration. The study employs intersectionality as a critical analytical tool to dissect the political subtexts within the audiovisual aesthetics of Akyol’s art, for she utilizes a wide variety of politically constructed symbolic imagery that enhances the depth of her narrative. Subsequently, it close reads her songwriting and music videos—İsyan Manifestosu and İstikrarlı Hayal Hakikattir, to unravel the underlying political messages. The findings demonstrate that Akyol undermines dualities such as West/East, modern/traditional, man/woman, straight/queer, culture/nature, and human/nonhuman to foster empathy, reconciliation, transformation, and hope. Her artistic endeavors challenge prevailing injustices and biases and stand in solidarity with Others through a spotlight on inclusivity and diversity. The research concludes that Akyol crusades for progressive values against inequalities through her contrarian art.

Keywords

Gaye Su Akyol, Anatolian Rock, Psychedelic, Intersectionality, Close Reading

Ethical Statement

This article is an expanded version of an oral presentation initially given at the “1st International Symposium on Women in Audiovisual Culture”, which was organized in Istanbul on May 23-25, 2024, by the collaboration of Istanbul Okan University Cinema TV Department and Public Relations and Advertising Department.

GAYE SU AKYOL MÜZİĞİNİN GÖRSEL-İŞİTSEL ESTETİĞİ VE POLİTİKASI

Abstract

Metin odaklı bu çalışma, kadın müzik sanatçısı Gaye Su Akyol’un iktidar temelli eşitsizliklere muhalefet ettiği politik güdümlü sanatını araştırmaktadır. Akyol’un, yerel ve küresel ögeleri harmanladığı müziğine eşlik eden politik içerikli şarkı sözleri ve alegorik müzik videoları derinlemesine incelemeyi gerektirmektedir. Bu amaçla araştırma, öncelikle Akyol’un artyetişimi ile başlıca esin kaynağı olan Anadolu rock müziğine genel bir bakış sunmaktadır. Araştırma, Akyol’un sanatının görsel-işitsel estetiği içindeki politik alt metinleri irdelemek için kesişimselliği eleştirel bir analitik araç olarak kullanmaktadır çünkü sanatçı, anlatısına derinlik katan politik olarak inşa edilmiş çok çeşitli simgesel imgelemden yararlanmaktadır. Ardından, örtük politik iletileri ortaya çıkarmak için sanatçının şarkı sözleri ile İsyan Manifestosu ve İstikrarlı Hayal Hakikattir adlı müzik klipleri yakından okunmaktadır. Araştırma bulguları, Akyol’un Batı/Doğu, modern/geleneksel, erkek/kadın, heteroseksüel/queer, kültür/doğa ve insan/insandışı gibi ikilikleri duygudaşlığı, uzlaşımı, değişimi ve umudu teşvik etmek için zayıflattığını göstermektedir. Akyol’un sanatsal çabaları, yaygın adaletsizliklere ve önyargılara karşı çıkarken, kapsayıcılığı ve çeşitliliği öne çıkararak öteki kimliklerle dayanışma göstermektedir. Araştırma, Akyol’un muhalif sanatı aracılığıyla eşitsizliklere karşı ilerici değerleri desteklediği sonucuna varmaktadır.

Keywords

Gaye Su Akyol, Anadolu Rock, Psikedelik, Kesişimsellik, Yakın Okuma

Ethical Statement

Bu makale, İstanbul Okan Üniversitesi Sinema TV Bölümü ile Halkla İlişkiler ve Reklamcılık Bölümü iş birliği ile 23-25 Mayıs 2024 tarihlerinde İstanbul’da düzenlenen “1. Uluslararası Görsel İşitsel Kültürde Kadın Sempozyumu”nda sunulan sözlü bildirinin genişletilmiş halidir.

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