Ali Kazma, 1971

Born in Istanbul in 1971, Ali Kazma graduated from Robert College High School, then went to the USA for undergraduate studies, followed by a master’s degree from the New School, New York. A video artist, Kazma has exhibited his work in international biennials. He received the UNESCO Prize for the Promotion of the Arts during the 7th Istanbul Biennial in 2001 and the Nam June Paik International Media Art Award in 2010.

In his series “Obstructions”, which is centered on human labor and activities, Ali Kazma deals with trades that typically remain in the background. He brings to the fore moments when the human body is involved in production processes and prolongs them through repetition, alienating the viewer from their surroundings. In the video “Taxidermist” from his series “Obstructions”, which includes “Jean Factory, Dancer, Slaughterhouse, Brain Surgeon, Clock Master, and Rolling Mills”, the artist shows a taxidermist in Germany who stuffs game animals. Ali Kazma encourages us to reflect on how human beings are transformed into vehicles in today’s relationships between production and consumption, and their power to shape themselves and the world around them.