20 February 2017

“You Want Kilims, But I Do Films”. Art and Culture in Turkey

A new series of events at the Akademie der Künste
26 February with Turgut Erçetin, 2 April with Ahmet Öğüt

The political and societal upheaval in Turkey has significantly changed the working situation of people engaged in the cultural sector. In response, the Akademie der Künste is presenting a new event series “You Want Kilims, But I Do Films”, during which artists, writers, journalists and scholars will provide insight into their current practice and report on the working conditions prevailing in Turkey. Upcoming events include discussions with the composer Turgut Erçetin (26 February) and the visual artist Ahmet Öğüt (2 April). “You Want Kilims, But I Do Films” is a quote from Atif Yilmaz, a Kurdish film director.
This year’s Berlin Kunstpreis is also being awarded to an artist from Turkey, the filmmaker Emin Alper. His film Tepenin Ardı – Beyond the Hill will be shown on March 17, the eve of the prize award ceremony.

The composer and sound researcher Turgut Erçetin, born in Istanbul in 1983, presents his work in a discussion with Akademie member Arnold Dreyblatt, also a composer and musician. Erçetin, whose works are regarded to be “composed acoustics”, is presently inquiring into the different characteristics of sound. He studied in Istanbul and at Stanford University in California with Pieter Snapper, Kamran Ince and Brian Ferneyhough, among others. His solo and chamber music works and his electroacoustic pieces have been performed at various festivals, including MaerzMusik in Berlin, Gaudeamus in Amsterdam and Manifeste in Paris. In 2016 Erçetin held a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) artist program in Berlin.

Ahmet Öğüt, a visual artist from Diyarbakir, discusses his work with Solvej Helweg Ovesen. In 2012 he founded The Silent University, with locations in London, Athens and Hamburg, among other places. The university provides an autonomous platform for the exchange of knowledge from and for people with refugee status or seeking asylum. Its objective is to reactivate their academic knowledge, which cannot be practiced become because of their residency status, using lectures, discussions and other formats. Öğüt also understands his artist studio as a place of reflection and experimentation regarding what art is and what it could be and could accomplish.

Event Dates:
Sunday, 26 Februar 2017, 7 pm, free admission
“You Want Kilims, But I Do Films”. Art and Culture in Turkey: Turgut Erçetin
Welcome and discussion: Arnold Dreyblatt
In cooperation with the DAAD artist program in Berlin
In English

Friday, 17 March 2017, 7 pm, € 5/3
Emin Alper: Tepenin Ardı – Beyond the Hill
Film TR/GR 2012, 94 min., original version with English subtitles
Followed by discussion with Emin Alper and Rüdiger Suchsland in English

Sonntag, 2 April 2017, 7 pm, free admission
“You Want Kilims, But I Do Films”. Art and Culture in Turkey: Ahmet Öğüt.
The Silent University. Artist’s discussion. Moderation: Solvej Helweg Ovesen
In English

Event Location:
Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg 10, 10557 Berlin
T +49 (0)30 200 57-2000