ARAFTA

“ARAFTA, IS THE LIFE. SIDE IS THE HUMAN ITSELF “.
Dilara Astam
@ dilara.astam
The animation is about a bridge that is formed between the East and the West. The gray
figure represents the West and the colorful figure the East. There is a struggle between
these two figures, but also a strong connection. Both figures stick out their hand in a stop
sign. This symbolizes; Knowing when to stop so as not to lose your own identity. Know
where your own limits are. In the beginning of the animation, the two figures do not touch
each other because of this.
ARAFTA means “purgatory” in Dutch and the word comes from Turkish. ARAFTA literally
means that your soul is in an in-between world. It is banned from heaven and hell. Zero
point.
I also incorporated social and personal aspects in the animation. I am literally the two
figures myself. I scanned myself with a 4D cinema program. I placed a carpet over the
colorful figure. I replace my skin in a carpet print.
I did this because carpets are often found in Turkish culture and traditions, but I don’t like
carpets and the ornaments on the carpets themselves. So I took two antique rugs from the
West “The Netherlands” and the East “Turkey” and placed them together via an app and
changed the colors into a graphic print. Because the hair of the carpet keeps growing in the
animation, an abstract colorful figure is created and the ornaments abstract. The Eastern
print is westernized, but the basis of that furry figure consists of a complex print. I also see
this reflected in myself.
Hair growth / shame: I have consciously chosen that the carpet eventually turns into a hairy
figure. In the East there is still shame among women for the (dark) body hair growth.
Because of this, I consciously chose that the Eastern figure eventually turned into a colorful
hairy figure. The colors symbolize acceptance and realization for me.