Digital Feelings
Pera Museum’s new film program offers six films and video art as part of the museum’s A Question of Taste exhibition, which deals with the concept of kitsch its relationship with today’s visual culture. The films examine how taste is “an indicator of social class, the values attributed to the Eastern and Western understanding of aesthetic, the rise of mass culture against high art and the visual language shaped during the transformation from object to digital culture”. The program includes Suzi Silver’s Freebird, which focuses on bending genres and genders through visual effects, and Fresh Kill, which explores connections between people on the edges of capitalism and the white, heterosexual and bourgeoisie world. Julia Meltzer and Amanda Ramos’ short film, chantlandia, which uses public bathroom stalls as a metaphor for Internet relay chat lines, Valentine for Perfect Strangers, which was posted anonymously and Wonders Wander, a web serial based in Madrid, will also be screened as part of the program. All the films will be screened online. The program will only be accessible to audiences in Turkey.
For more information, visit: peramuseum.org.
KALBEN PERFORMS THE BEATLES
Turkish musician Kalben will perform songs from the Beatles on May 17 at Zorlu PSM’s digital stage. Kalben’s repertoire will consist of famous Beatles songs with a little improvisation. “Don’t fasten your seatbelts if you are ready for rock’n roll, ignore the rules, love your existence and dance,” Kalben says.
The concert will be available on online.zorlupsm.com.
SKYLIGHT
Odeabank’s art platform O’Art will host Turkish artist Ozge Topcu’s installation titled Skylight as part of the exhibition series Senkron that focuses on video art. Curated by Begum Guney, the digital installation by Topcu transforms the projection of form through the light at Kilic Ali Pasa Bath, where it was first exhibited. The installation was also nominated for the MAC International Art Prize, the second-largest art award of the UK.
The exhibition is available at odeabank.com.tr.
YENI KUSAK ORCHESTRA
On May 19, Cemal Resit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall will host Yeni Kusak Orchestra, founded by conductor Elif Karabiber to motivate and inspire young musicians who have been disoriented due to the pandemic. Founded in 2021, the orchestra continues to develop under the tutelage of Maestro Cem Mansur.
The concert will be available on CRR’s Youtube channel on May 19.
YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW
Akbank Sanat’s new documentary celebrates the 30th year of jazz in Turkey with a new album. The documentary, which offers an insight into the creative process that musicians went through while recording the album and the impact of the pandemic on the music sector, explores the history and the future of jazz. In addition to the pandemic, you can listen to the album on Spotify, Apple Music and 156 other digital music platforms.
The documentary is available on Akbank Sanat’s Youtube channel.
KOPRULER
Gedik Philharmonic Orchestra will take the stage of CRR on May 21 to perform the last concert of the season. Led by Onder Baloglu, the orchestra will perfo m Kamran Ince’s intermezzo, Cemal Resit Rey’s Andante Allegro and Fazil Say’s Chamber Symphony.
The concert will be available on CRR’s Youtube channel on May 21.
FATMA TURGUT
Is Sanat continues to bring music lovers together with various Turkish artists through digital channels. Turkish alternative singer Fatma Turgut takes the digital stage of Is Sanat. Turgut, who is joined by Ozan Inam on drums, Baris Ertunc on guitar, Emre Meralli on piano and Huseyin Deniz on bass guitar, will perform original work as part of Is Sanat’s concert series.
The concert is available on Is Sanat’s Youtube channel.
40TH ISTANBUL FILM FESTIVAL
The 40th edition of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts’ (IKSV) Istanbul Film Festival will continue despite the pandemic. IKSV’s online film screening program will be present a total of nine films, which will be open to access for five days after the screening begins. The films include Pedro Almodovar’s Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Bence Fliegauf’s I See you Everywhere, Sushmit Ghosh and Rintu Thomas’ Writing with Fire, Amalia Ulman’s El Planeta, Maria Speth’s Mr. Bachmannand His Class and Suzanne Adler’s Benoit Jacquot.
For more information, visit filmonline.iksv.org.
