performance, 2019
“ma ma ma (3 perdeli performans) / ma ma ma (3 act performance)” was produced for the public program of the 16th Istanbul Biennial. The performance focused on the theme ‘potato’. Potato played a servant’s role like it has in agriculture and in society. Ece Eldek created three characters in her performance; the soldier, because peeling potatoes is a punishment; the priest, because the church in Middle Ages has banned potato; and the housewife because she uses potatoes at home quite frequently. The artist wrote three poems that criticize state, religion and family over potatoes, over these people who serve. Using the theater as her medium, the artist has created a performance. In this work, with the curtains, which were used conceptually, the housewife, the priest and the soldier are playing the identity roles that are given to them. They act as servants through the identities that the society imposes on them, and which are memorized by them. Ece Eldek distributed the text into performances with specific rhythms and with the act of peeling potatoes in the center. Eldek prepared the chapbook of her performance entitled “mamama / 3 act performance”
