Visual representation in the context of social and cultural body perception

Body is a concept being assigned new meanings not by given ready definitions but instead shaped through societal mentality created in time and by geography. Body is formed in terms of a series of cultural values assigned to it. Body-oriented conceptualizing is formed out of tension between visual presentation of the body and symbolic grammar generated by culture. Body is an object of social policies not only physically but also as a social design and construct. In her study "Body Folklore", Katherina Young emphasizes that body is a cultural product and highlights that it is shaped over cultural forms. The reason of the perceived differences in the body concept between east and west is based on perceived personal difference. Contrary to western visual culture, Turkish and Ottoman visual arts are especially devoid of realistic figure representation. Instead of the western individual, in the east congregation is the point at issue. Consequently the reflection of the body in arts is also different. Turkish cinema is producing body images in line with the references of culture that it belongs to. The aim of this study was to generate ideas about body concept produced in time by two cultures in different interaction areas, how they form narrative texts and clues on how they reflect this to cinematographic narrations. Considering the fact that this study is carried out in the frame of cultural conflicts, it will emphasize the body perception whose backbone is formed by cultural mentality structure - in terms of resemblances and differences between eastern and western cultures - and different visual representation forms it generates. Intrinsically, this methodology does not accept narrow, introverted, selflimited disciplinary models but instead admits a multidisciplinary approach in a liberal approach. © Common Ground.