Aesthetic tensions and transversal politics in participatory arts practices

Abstract

This reflective piece examines the role of participatory arts as sites of resistance and activism amid increasing global restrictions on civic space, expression, and surveillance. Drawing on over 15 years of experience in Turkey and Sub-Saharan Africa, I explore two key tensions in participatory video-making: aesthetic concerns that may distort political messages and the ignored potential of exhibition spaces as ongoing arenas for transversal dialogue and social change. I advocate viewing participatory arts not merely as research tools but as powerful channels for collective intelligence, activism, and political advocacy.