T13-20-05-08.qxd
19.05.2008
19:32
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CULTURE&ARTS
TODAY’S ZAMAN 13
T U E S D AY, M AY 2 0 , 2 0 0 8
Artists to fund education of Diyarbakýr children ALÝ PEKTAÞ ÝSTANBUL
Ýstanbul's Cemal Reþit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall, generally known for its wide variety of concerts, is set to host a different sort of event in the coming days. Famous artists known for their work with classic Ottoman calligraphy, miniatures, ebru (traditional Turkish paper marbling) and oil paintings are going to gather at the CRR Concert Hall to hold an exhibition, entitled "Art at the Tip of the Universal Pen," aimed at raising money for the education of underprivileged students in the southeastern province of Diyarbakýr. The exhibition, which will open on May 23, will run for five days and all proceeds from the exhibited works of art will go to the Diyarbakýr governor's office to assist needy students in the city. Organized by the Ýstanbul-based Koza Society for Environment and a Culture of Life, the exhibit's opening is expected to be attended by Diyarbakýr Governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu, in addition to the artists whose works are being exhibited. Some of the artists who have donated their
works to the charity exhibition are calligraphy artist Ali Toy; ornamental gilding artists Ýrma Firuz and Mamure Öz; miniature artist Sabine Buchman; ebru artists Hikmet Barutçugil, Mahmut Pesteli and Fisun Arýkan; modern artist Mümtaz Arýkan; and oil painters Güneþ Özmen, Ayla Seyman, Pýnar Karaman and Ünal Karaman. Koza Society board chairperson Birsen Eyüpoðlu, in a written statement, said that the members of the society started pondering what could be done to aid the social problems and poverty they saw in Diyarbakir during a recent tour to the province. She explained that the idea of holding a charity exhibition arouse from these reflections. She added that many of the preconceptions held by the society's members about Diyarbakýr and its people had been broken by the end of the tour, noting: "The genuine and friendly nature of the Anatolian people held us in such an embrace that when the time came to return, we felt like we were leaving half of our hearts there. After this wonderful visit, being hosted by this welcoming city and its residents, we felt as though we owed something in return. And so we decided to donate all the
funds from this exhibition that we hold once every two years to the children of Diyarbakir this year." The primary goal of the exhibition is to reach as many children as possible. Eyüpoðlu noted that the works of art being put on display at the exhibition are quite valuable, but are being offered at reasonable prices. She expressed hope that many people will decide to come and view the exhibition, noting, "People should keep in mind that if they show interest in this exhibition, they will have works of art in their homes that remind them of a child holding on tight to their hand and smiling at the future every time they look at these artworks." Neval Güler, the wife of Ýstanbul Governor Muammer Güler, will also be joining in the exhibition with an oil
painting she has done herself. Güler, who has been involved in the past in various projects to support social life in southeastern Anatolia, says she is very happy to be part of the event. Güler explains that this upcoming exhibition is quite meaningful. She underscores the importance of artists taking part in an event such as this one, and thus acting as an example for the entire society. "I really hope the Turkish people will show the amount of interest this exhibit deserves. We need all the support that we can get for this event in order to see that many more children receive the education they need." Ebru artist Hikmet Barutçugil emphasizes that when he heard about the exhibition, he didn't think twice about donating his own art, adding: "This is a special kind of service, and we are sensitive about this. We completely agree with the goal of this exhibition."
Critics cheer return of
I
ndiana ones
Indiana Jones returns 19 years after his last adventure, and early reaction suggests the majority of Cannes Film Festival's notoriously picky critics are happy the whip-wielding archaeologist is back. Harrison Ford reprises his most famous role in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," a high-octane fantasy set in the 1950s when Jones no longer faces Nazis but a KGB agent after the ultimate Cold War weapon -- mind control. There are plenty of jokes about 65-yearold Ford's age, and he reunites with Karen Allen, co-star in the first Indiana Jones movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark" released in 1981. "Not as easy as it used to be," Jones mutters early on. His young sidekick Mutt Williams, played by Shia LaBeouf, at one point bluntly asks: "What are you, like 80?", and there are strong hints he will take over the mantle from Ford. Australian actress Cate Blanchett, with severe fringe, dark hair and over-the-top Russian accent, plays evil Soviet agent Irina Spalko who races Jones to the secret of the crystal skull. "I apologize to the entire Russian populace for my Russian, but hopefully it will be dubbed," Blanchett, her hair back to blonde, joked at a press conference. Warm, though not loud applause broke out as the credits rolled at the first press screening ahead of a glitzy evening red carpet event, and early online reviews were mostly positive. "Nineteen years after their last adventure, director Steven Spielberg and star Harrison Ford have no trouble getting back into the groove with a story and style very much in keeping with what has made the series so perennially popular," wrote Todd McCarthy of trade publication Variety.
But Kirk Honeycutt of Hollywood Reporter told Reuters: "They [the audience] got a rollercoaster that didn't seem to want to stop for nearly two hours and they didn't get much story, or character, or wit or plot. We're all kind of bewildered about what they thought they were making." Thousands of people, many wearing Indiana Jones-style hats handed out for free, crowded outside the Grand Theatre Lumiere cinema in a sunkissed Cannes to get a glimpse of the stars. The film, conceived by George Lucas, is a familiar recipe of thrilling chases, spectacular stunts, mystical symbols, ancient civilizations and jokes about Jones's fear of snakes. But it also ventures into the realms of extra terrestrials and parallel worlds, and tackles issues including McCarthyism in the United States in the 1950s, the destructive power of nuclear weapons and even the disappearance of forests in the Amazon. Ford told reporters he was more worried about the reaction of the public than that of the critics. "I expect to have the whip turned on me. It's not unusual for something that is popular to be disdained by some people and I fully expect it and I'm not really worried about it. "I work for the people who pay to get in," he added. "They are my customers and my focus is on providing the best experience I can for those people." The first three Indiana Jones movies made over $1 billion at the global box office in 1980s dollar terms. Asked if he, Spielberg and Ford planned a fifth Indiana Jones movie, Lucas replied: "Harrison, Steven and I haven't talked about it. We can't do it unless I can come up with a good idea, which I haven't." Cannes Reuters
The New York-based New Paths, New Music (NPNM) ensemble was in the central Anatolian province of Nevþehir over the weekend, performing one leg of their ongoing five-concert Turkey tour, which is part of a series scheduled to run until Aug. 23. Titled "East Meets West," the concert series is the effort of the Turkish Cultural Center New York, a non-profit cultural institution devoted to the promotion of Turkish culture and language in New York and the US. The admission-free concert series kicked off on May 12 in New York with a concert at the center. The second performance, which opened the Turkish leg of the series, took place last Thursday at Ýstanbul's Cevahir Shopping Center. Haldun Yavaþ, the director of the Turkish Cultural Center New York, speaking with the Cihan news agency, said Saturday's concert in Nevþehir was attended by a huge audience. "Art has a universal language. Through this language we want to increase the familiarity between the two countries [the US and Turkey]. We brought many artists from different countries together. … The diversity of the ensemble is reflected even in the instruments they play: violinists and ud [Turkish lute] players play side by side in this ensemble," he said. The NPNM ensemble performs a repertoire consisting of pieces by young American composers such as Eugene Birman and Spencer Topel as well as classical Turkish songs under the baton of Julian Pellicano. The international ensemble, which brings together instrumentalists from America, Europe and Turkey, today travels south, to the Mediterranean coast, for a performance at the Antalya Culture Center. The ensemble will tomorrow perform at Ýzmir's Tepe Kule Congress Center. The last concert of the series will take place on Friday at Ýstanbul Technical University's Center for Advanced Studies in Music. The series will wrap up with a concert in New York on Aug. 23. Ýstanbul Today's Zaman
CONCERT
CONCERT
Ketencoðlu and ensemble revive folksongs by women
Young Spanish classical guitar virtuoso Anabel Montesinos is scheduled to perform a recital at Ýstanbul's Akbank Art Center this week as part of the ongoing "Guitar Days" at the center located in Beyoðlu. The 24-year-old Montesinos, who gave her first concert in Majorca at the age of 12, will take to the stage at 8 p.m. for her performance on Thursday night. Tickets, priced at YTL 10, can be purchased at the Akbank Art Center box office.
Accordion player Muammer Ketencoðlu and the 17-member Female Vocals Ensemble will tomorrow night perform at Ýstanbul's Cemal Reþit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall, presenting a wide repertoire of Anatolian folksongs. The ensemble, which Ketencoðlu formed in 2005 with the sole aim of bringing out Anatolia's hidden inventory of folksongs created by women, will take the stage at 8 p.m. Tickets, priced at YTL 15, can be purchased at the CRR box office.
EXHIBITION
The Black Sea province of Samsun finally saw its longing for opera and ballet performances fulfilled on Sunday night, officially raising the curtains on the Samsun State Opera and Ballet with a performance of the "Þehitler Oratoryosu" (Oratorio for the Martyred), a piece featuring a libretto by a former general of the Turkish Army. Samsun now has the sixth national operaballet company in Turkey, after the Ankara, Ýstanbul, Ýzmir, Mersin and Antalya operas. The State Opera and Ballet Directorate General had made the initial decision to open a branch in Samsun 16 years ago, in 1992. However, the decision never managed to reach fruition until Sunday night. Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuðrul Günay, speaking at the inauguration ceremony at Samsun's Atatürk Culture Center, said state opera and ballet companies represented the modern face of Turkey. Noting that the actual preparations to establish the Samsun State Opera and Ballet were completed in a very short amount of time, Günay added that they would now concentrate on establishing a state theater company in Samsun. "Samsun … still doesn't have a theater [company of its own]. We will inaugurate the Samsun State Theater by the end of this year," the minister said. State Opera and Ballet General Director Rengim Gökmen, who was also in attendance, said opera and ballet were among the criteria for determining how developed a city or a country is. "Opera and ballet are factories of art. … and Samsun is the culture capital of the Black Sea region," he added. Following the speeches, a group of artists from the other Turkish state opera companies performed the Samsun premiere of "Oratorio for the Martyred," composed by Hasan Niyazi Tura over a libretto by former Turkish Land Forces Commander retired Gen. Aytaç Yalman. Ýstanbul Today's Zaman
East meets West in Nevþehir concert
Anabel Montesinos to perform at Akbank Art
Nev celebrates 24th year with mixed exhibition
Long-overdue Samsun opera inaugurated
Ýstanbul's Gallery Nev celebrates its 24th anniversary with an exhibition in its new venue on the fifth floor of the Mýsýr Apartment in Beyoðlu. The exhibition features a selection of works by some of the renowned artists the gallery has been working with, such as Ýnci Eviner, Elvan Alpay, Mike Berg, Murat Morova, Hale Tenger and Canan Tolon. The exhibition can be viewed every day except Sunday and Monday between 11 a.m.-6 p.m. until June 30.
Coelho's ‘Alchemist' set for silver screen
CONCERT
Borusan orchestra to play two concerts next week The Borusan Ýstanbul Philharmonic Orchestra will next week perform two concerts for audiences on Ýstanbul's European and Anatolian sides. The orchestra, under the baton of maestro Joseph Wolfe, will present the same program -- consisting of pieces by Copland, Shostakovich and Sibelius -- in both concerts, slated for May 28 at the Caddebostan Culture Center (CKM) and May 29 at the Lütfi Kýrdar Convention Center. Ticket price: YTL 45
CM Y K
For 15 years, Hollywood has tried and failed to transform the best-selling novel "The Alchemist" into silver screen material. Now Harvey Weinstein says he has the magic formula. Weinstein said Sunday that he will produce Paulo Coelho's novel about a Spanish shepherd on a quixotic quest. Actor Laurence Fishburne ("The Matrix") will direct and star as the title character, who guides the shepherd along his way. Shooting will start about a year from now. "The book is simple and spiritual, and the screenplay will reflect that," Weinstein said at the Cannes Film Festival. The book tells the story of Santiago, a Spanish shepherd who dreams of finding a treasure at the Egyptian pyramids. He embarks on his quest, falls in love and learns life lessons along the way. The novel has sold more than 30 million copies around the world since it was published 20 years ago. Cannes AP