Spanning from 2019 to 2031, Project ‘40’ is a long-term performance series by Ata Doğruel, shaped by the ancient and transformative significance of the number 40. Across cultures, 40 has been a symbol of transition, purification, and endurance—qualities that resonate deeply with the nature of performance art.

For Doğruel, 40 days is the threshold where transformation takes hold. A performance of this duration is not simply an act but a passage—one that unfolds without interruption, testing the mind and body against time itself.

Announced in Istanbul in 2019, Project ‘40’ is a 12-year journey, comprising distinct yet interconnected performances, each lasting precisely 40 days. No two are the same, yet they all share this relentless temporality. The series will conclude in 2031, the year the artist turns 40, marking his final 40-day performance.

Below, you will find the works realized within this project.