The communication dimension of art: Reflections of curatorship in Turkey

This research, centered on the field of communication, aims to examine the communication dimension of art and the reflections of curatorial practices in Turkey within the framework of the significant intellectual approaches of the time, namely the Frankfurt School - Critical Theory, focusing on Adorno's "negative dialectics" and Benjamin's concepts of "aura" and "mechanical reproduction." Tracing the development of curatorial phenomena upon this theoretical foundation within the historical journey of art, the study opens a discussion on its roles in the field of communication today. It seeks to explore the role of curating and how it should be and aims to determine to what extent it fulfills the role of being a "communication bridge enabling art to connect with the public," all within the context of communication. Following the curator figure that emerged in salon exhibitions in the eighteenth century and its journey to the present, the study elucidates the position of art, the artist, and society in the triangle within various exhibiting spaces such as biennials, museums, art platforms, and different exhibition venues. It aims to reveal the versatile competencies curators should possess to fulfill their role in the dynamics of the present day. The evolution of art from the modern period to the digital age is explored within a theoretical framework, examining the philosophical dimension of the subject. The communication aspect of art, the status of the artist, cultural globalization, and the state of postmodern art are investigated as part of the journey of art as a communication medium from the past to the present. The definition and history of curating, milestones worldwide, and their reflections in Turkey are examined in this thesis, aiming to reveal the curator's role in the communication field through the synthesis of research findings.