T. Melih Görgün

Melih was born in 1962 in Sinop. Lives and works in Sinop and Istanbul.

Question 23: “You are informed about the terror attacks of September 11th 2001, New York and March 11th
2004, Madrid. What do you think, were the perpetrators terrorists or freedom fighters? Explain your answer.” The
“Conscience test” put into effect in 2006 in the German State of Baden-Württemberg, consisting of 30 questions,
applied to applicants of German citizenship coming from Muslim countries has been annulled by Bilkay Önay who
was appointed to the State Integration Ministry following the state elections, right after his her inauguration.

In this installation, based on the surprising questions of this test T. Melih Görgün is criticizing the state imposing
its strong entity on citizenship candidates through oppressive methods it employs. Although this test, revealing the
weakness of the “strong state” caused by its fears, thereby laying bare the mask of the underlying discrimination,
has already been disposed. However, it still continues to function under the same mentality, only concealed behind
different forms and opportunities, as can be seen in the example of the citizenship test effective in all states of
Germany since 2008, prepared with the purpose of teaching people “how to become German”.