Cihad Caner - Parroting the Parrot

History in feathers

In Caner's new video, the protagonist becomes Cem's parrot, who guides and accompanies him during the years he is away from home. In a playful way, the parrot's perspective shows us how entertainment can help sustain the way history is told.  Through its lens, the project delves into the complexity of storytelling and the risks of reinforcing singular perspectives. It also makes us wonder whether alternative voices can offer new ways of understanding the past and question the ways in which history is constructed and disseminated in our time.

Much of the exhibition is inspired by historical artefacts, such as the tapestries The Lady and the Unicorn at the Musée de Cluny in Paris. These tapestries, with crescent motifs associated with the Muslim world, serve as a visual anchor for the project's blending of myth and reality. Caner combines true facts with fiction.