Shriek 2006

Here, Fusun Onur evokes both solemnity and playfulness with a bell suspended from the ceiling, its clapper tethered to wisps of colored fabric. The bell, of course, is a powerful symbol, historically used to mark time, to call to prayer, or to signal alarm. Think of the medieval town criers, their bells announcing news, both joyous and tragic, or the church bells tolling for the dead. But here, the bell is silent, its sound withheld, replaced by the mute flutter of fabric. These fragile textiles introduce a modern element of delicacy and impermanence, contrasting with the bell's weighty history. The bell's suspended position hints at a state of anticipation or suspended judgment. This speaks to the enduring human tension between tradition and modernity, the solid past and the ephemeral present. It is as if Onur captures a moment of transition, a breath held between the familiar peal of history and the uncertain rustle of the future. In this way, symbols evolve and adapt, resonating with our collective anxieties, and resurfacing in new guises across the epochs.