Musicians (Tancrède R. Dumas, c. 1870 Private Collection) (Source: Sabancı Museum)

1001 Faces of Orientalism, the new exhibit that opened on 25 April at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum, certainly dazzles with its title. With a playful nod to the famous Orientalist collection of stories The Thousand and One Nights, one cannot help but be seduced by the possibility of it all. Engaging with Orientalism, that discourse made famous by Edward Said, from the Ottoman perspective in an attempt to explore the push and the pull, the harsh criticisms and stirring defenses that have accumulated since the book’s first printing in 1978 feels at once weighty and bold.

Yet while the exhibit provides a comprehensive approach to Orientalism, presenting the theory as it relates to a variety of sub-fields such as archaeology, photography and painting, one gets the sense that there is too much ground to cover. Certain sections are beautifully curated – they almost command you to reflect upon so-called Ottoman Orientalism and its ties to Said’s theory. However, as I walked out of the last room, I couldn’t help but wish for more of a narrative to reign in and structure the varied discussion on Orientalism as seen from an Ottoman perspective.

The exhibit, which incorporates a wide range of objects, begins with a glimpse into the rise of Oriental Studies as an academic field and the use of Orientalist themes in literature. Although showcasing a number of first edition books, in addition to reproduced photographs and images, the most mesmerizing were works of fiction with elaborate bindings, which clearly illustrate the ways in which western Europeans imagined the exotic East.

The section presenting the Ottoman empire’s participation in the World Fairs, those landmark expositions that took place in cities such as Paris, Chicago and London in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, also mainly relies on books, pamphlets and photographs. How the Ottoman state chose to portray itself, both in the design of its pavilions and the “types” of people sent as representatives, raises a lot of questions – were they exploiting Orientalist obsessions? If so, how and to what degree?

On the flip side, how the Ottoman showing was received is equally thought-provoking, if not also terribly cringe-worthy in retrospect. One book written by an American critic describes the dancers from Cairo present at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 with a tone of unabashed condescension. The writer even goes so far as to propose that such dances be censored, seeing as they are a risk to the morals of the public.

Reciting the Koran (Osman Hamdi Bey, S.U. Sakıp Sabancı Museum Collection) (Source: Sabancı Museum)

The tension between how the Ottomans were portrayed by others and how they portrayed themselves can be seen in other parts of the exhibit, which also raise the corresponding questions of audience and the value assigned to certain forms and artifacts. I found the section on ‘Orientalism and Photography’ to be especially exquisite, for it told a story of how photography came to the Ottoman empire and what subjects became popular to photograph. Even if you have no interest in Orientalism, the images of Istanbul are fascinating for anyone who knows and loves the city.

Likewise, another particularly successful feature deconstructs three of Osman Hamdi’s paintings and displays Islamic artifacts that are similar to those seen in the paintings. The artifacts that were once used by this famous Ottoman painter as mere decoration later came to be valued as works of art in themselves. These aspects of the exhibit convey how thought-provoking it can be to consider Orientalist discourse through the lens of the Ottoman empire. Not to mention the wealth of objects available for such a study.

And yet the connection between all of these varied parts was tenuous. True, they fit under the umbrella of Orientalism, but there was little mention of time, that significant factor coloring both events and ideas.

To begin with, Orientalism was first published in 1978 and since then there has been a lively academic debate on the topic. However, unless you have a firm grip on the ideas beforehand, it may be difficult to discern from the exhibit just what criticisms and rebuttals have been made over the past 30+ years.

More importantly, the exhibit seemed to proceed chronologically at certain points but not at others. This type of structure not only made it difficult to get a grip on the timing of all these events, but also gave the impression that attitudes did not change over time. For instance, the section devoted to ‘Orientalism and Archaeology’ made it seem as if these ideas towards archaeology in the East (and how they were used in support of various political and social goals) remained static throughout the nineteenth century. An opportunity was lost by not discussing the trajectory of these ideas and how they shifted over time. As a result, complex concepts are muddled and, without a framework through which to understand the varied and intriguing artifacts, the exhibit can be confusing at times.

Front View of the Sakıp Sabancı Museum (Source: E. Harper)

Despite the weak narrative at points, there is something for everyone. Since it delves into a lot of fields – fashion, travel, photography, museums – the exhibit boasts a large number of fascinating objects and works of art that will delight anyone interested in Orientalism or the history of Istanbul.

So take a trip up to Emirgan, where the mansion (formerly the residence of the Sabancı family) that houses the museum sits on the shore. Not only will a trip to the Sabancı museum allow you to appreciate the stunning beauty of Istanbul today, as the museum’s lush grounds offer multiple places to sit and enjoy the Bosphorus view, but it will also allow you to delve into the fascinating history of the Ottomans and Orientalism.

1001 Faces of Orientalism will continue to run until Thursday 1 August at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum, part of Sabancı University.

Emma Harper is a contributor for Yabangee

Concha Buika

Grammy nominee Concha Buika will be accompanied by the Istanbul Opera Orchestra at the İş Sanat Cultural Center on Friday 24 May at 8:00pm.

Flamenco queen Buika is fast becoming a leading voice in modern jazz. Her dynamic blend of jazz, funk, flamenco, gypsy rumba, Afro-Cuban rhythms, copla and new soul have garned much praise, The New York Times describing her as, “luminous, magnificent… superb!”.

In 2009 she collaborated with Chucho Valdés, El Ultimo Trago, and won her first Latin Grammy award for “Best Traditional Tropical Album.” She was also the winner of the Premio de la Música award for best produced album. Toni Cuenca will be leading the Orchestra.

Tickets available via the Biletix website.

Click here for Yabangee Places map

What’s on at the cinemas right now? To make things easier, we’ve brought the film listings and screening times of popular cinemas to one place.

All listed films are showing in English with Turkish subtitles, unless marked with *TR*

AFM Cinema (Istiklal Caddesi, No:24-26. Tel: 212 251 20 20)

The Great Gatsby

11:15
14:30
17:45
21:00

21 And Over

11:00
13:00
15:15
17:30
19:45
22:00

Identity Thief

11:30
14:00
16:45
19:30
22:00

The Last Exorcism (Part 2)

11:00
13:00
15:00
17:00
19:15
21:15

Olympus Has Fallen

11:00
13:30
16:15
19:00
21:45

Iron Man 3

11:00
13:45
16:30
19:15
22:00

Oblivion

11:15
14:00
16:45
19:30
22:15

  ***

CityLife Cinema (City’s Nişantaşı Alışveriş Merkezi, Teşvikiye Caddesi, No. 162 Şişli. Tel: 212 373 33 33)

The Great Gatsby

10:40 – 13:30 – 16:30 -19:30 - 22:30 (+ Friday/Saturday 00:30)

21 And Over

10:50 – 13:00 – 15:20 – 17:30 - 19:40 - 21:50 (+ Friday/Saturday 00:00)

Quartet

11:10
13:40
16:00
18:20
21:00

(+ Friday/Saturday 23:30)

Olympus Has Fallen

10:45 – 13:30 – 16:10 – 19:00 – 21:45 (+ Friday/Saturday 00:15)

I’m So Excited

11:00
13:00
15:10
17:20
19:30
21:40

(+ Friday/Saturday 23:45)

Identity Thief

11:00 – 13:30 – 16:00 – 18:30 – 21:15 (+ Friday/Saturday 23:45)

Iron Man 3

10:15 – 12:45 – 15:45 – 18:45 – 21:40

 ***

İstinye AFM İstinye Park (İstinye Bayırı Cad. İstinye Park AVM, Sarıyer. Tel: 212 345 62 45)

The Great Gatsby 

11:30 - 14:45 - 18:00 - 21:00 - 21:45

Identity Thief

11:30 – 14:00 – 16:30 – 19:00 – 21:30

Oblivion

16:15 - 21:45

Quartet

11:30 - 14:00 - 16:30 - 19:00 - 21:30

Iron Man 3

(3D) 11:45 – 12:00 – 15:00 – 15:30 – 18:30 – 19:00 – 21:30 – 22:00

Rust & Bone

11:00
13:30
19:00

21 And Over

11:00 - 13:00 - 15:15 - 17:30 - 19:45 - 22:00

The Last Exorcism (Part 2)

11:00 – 13:00 – 15:15 – 17:30 – 19:45 – 22:00

Olympus Has Fallen

11:00 – 13:30 – 16:15 – 19:00 – 21:45

Get ready for a joyful day in the woods with local and international acts on three different stages!

This year’s lineup includes Norwegian indie folk-pop duo King’s of Convenience, ‘gypsy punk’ band DeVotchKa, and the six-piece, genre-dodging Molotov Jukebox.

Tickets are available now via the Biletix website.

Click here for Yabangee Places map

Collishaw was born in Nottingham, UK. He is a sculptor, installation artist and photographer, and was a contemporary of Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst at Goldsmiths during the late 1980s. His work was shown along side theirs in their seminal exhibition Freeze, at the Surrey Docks in London.

He works mainly with video and photography; many of his works take a single, shocking, yet beautiful image and thereby “examine the beguiling nature of photography and the seduction of visual imagery.” Collishaw also uses contemporary images alongside traditional techniques and styles, for example he often utilizes a mosaic effect which, while alluding to religious art and Ancient Rome, is also now associated with pixelated digital imagery.

‘Afterimage’ will be on show at Arter Gallery from 2 May to 11 August. For more information, visit the ARTER website.

Click here for Yabangee Places map

Thirty Seconds To Mars are a captivating, imaginative band from Southern California. The band’s very name implies the accelerated society we live in, suggesting that an escape may be as close as a few seconds away.

The group found success in the 2000s but it was the platinum-selling “A Beautiful Lie” that officially opened the flood gates in 2005, securing the band a frequent presence on MTV while paving the way for a number of successful tours. It took three years to record “A Beautiful Lie”, with the bandmates traveling to four different continents to work with Jared Leto on his movie sets. The group’s audience also expanded more by placing all-access passes into 12 copies of the album, the bandmates also showed a savvy appreciation for marketing, which they revisited several years later by putting fans’ photographs on the cover of their third album, “This Is War”.

Tickets for their Istanbul gig are available now via the Biletix website.

Click here for Yabangee Places map

Turkish-Ottoman captain Piri Reis marked his name in the history of cartography with his 1513 world map, considered by UNESCO to be the oldest map of the world. The 500th-anniversary exhibit features the view of the world commonly held before the time of Piri Reis, the stroy of cartography (the study of maps) from 1929 to the present, as well as Reis’ maps through the eyes of contemporary designers.

Click here for Yabangee Places map

Ibrahim Maalouf

Lebanese trumpet player Ibrahim Maalouf will be playing at Babylon on Monday 20 May and Tuesday 21 May, at 9:30pm (both nights).

Having relocated to Paris with his family during the Lebanese Civil War, Maalouf starting playing the trumpet at the tender age of 7. Influenced by the pioneering music of his father (also a trumpet player and inventor of the micro-tonal trumpet) his music blends contemporary jazz with classical Arabic music. As his career progressed he also began incorporating pop, rock, electro and funk into his musical repertoire. He has shared the stage with the likes of Elvis Costello, Sylvia Schwartz and Sting.

Maalouf’s classical training and career has seen him compose pieces for various classical orchestras across Europe; one of his seminal works was played at the Printemps de Bourges and in Brussels Cathedral. In July 2010, he was awarded the Instrumental Revelation of the Year Victory Prize  at the Victoires du Jazz competition. UNESCO also awarded him with title of “Young artist promoting dialogue between the Arab world and West”.

His third studio album Diagnostic was released in 2011 and sold over 35,000 copies.

Tickets are available via the Biletix website.

Click here for Yabangee Places map

Gullick has taken striking portraits of some of the world’s most-loved rock and indie musicians. Milk Gallery will be exhibiting a retrospective including some of his most iconic works from 1990-93.

‘Emergence: The Photography of Steve Gullick’ will be on show until 5 June. For more information, visit the MILK Gallery website.

With well-known Turkish shadow theater artist Cengiz Ozek as its artistic director, the festival will feature a rich program covering both modern and traditional puppetry techniques, and ranging in style from marionettes to shadow theater plays.

Companies from the UK, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic ,the Netherlands and Greece will present around 30 performances throughout the festival, which will mark its opening with a gala performance of a German-French-Swiss co-production called ‘Hotel de Rive’ on 10 May, at the French Cultural Center in Taksim.

Apart from puppet theater shows, the festival program will also feature exhibitions, conferences, film screenings and workshops on puppetry.

For more information, visit the Istanbul Puppetry Festival website.

Click here for Yabangee Places map

The main requirement of the teaching position is having a degree in English teaching, and applicants should originally be from the UK or USA.

If you are interested in working with us, or would like to find out more information about our school and teaching post, please contact us at the below email address, and send your current CV to the below contact person.

Seden Chouseinoglou

Edirne- Istanbul Beykent Schools / TURKEY

IB Programmes Coordinator

Email Address: lisaki@yahoo.com

Amid setbacks and challenges and working in the laid-back Mediterranean time…. our Irish music festival has had a long gestation… but the good news is that it IS happening and will take place for sure during the sunny days of 30 May to 2 June in various locations in Beyoglu, central Istanbul!

The final program is currently being completed, so watch this space!

Please like this page for more info: https://www.facebook.com/IrishCultureInTurkey

We have an amazing line-up of musicians from Ireland:

From the band Dervish:

-  Cathy Jordan – vocals, bodhran and guitar.

From the band Kila:

- Eoin Dillon – Uileann Pipes and Whistles

- Seanan Brennan – Guitar and Bozouki

A virtuoso:

- Rick Epping – concertina, harmonica, banjo and more…

There will be traditional Irish music from these stars that will set the place alight, songs that will fill the heart with joy and sadness and ‘craic’ that will leave a smile on your face and put a spring in your step for the rest of the week or even the entire summer if you’re lucky!

We will have more surprise musicians and dancers throughout the weekend, so come along for the genuine feeling of festivity and let yourself get carried away by the magic of it…

Dance with us, sing with us, drink with us and support us – the first fully-fledged Irish traditional music festival in the ‘bul! Absolutely not to be missed! If we see that there is a thirst and an audience for this type of music we will bring more of it to you (and more and more! ), right to your doorstep on the shores of the Bosphorus…

Your support will convince us to continue with this Trojan work… so for this, our first festival, do put a call out to your friends and even your enemies, invite them along for the great time you’ll have together… and skip home drumming a beat to an Irish tune!

Amazing musicians from the Black Sea will join the Irish musicians throughout the weekend, there will be sessions, workshops and concerts in prime venues… our final programme will come out in the next few days outlining all events from Thursday to Sunday… watch out, the Celts they are a-coming to these shores, once again! Céad mile fáilte romhaibh!

Please mail Kate @ turkeykate@gmail.com with any queries or call: 0539 226 2868

Interpreting various films from the history of cinema, Zizek maintains that cinema dictates to us how to desire and therefore is a perverted art. In the film “The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology,” which is part of the program, our guide Zizek opens the doors to a cinema beyond the simple story we witness.

The selection of films, on the one hand, extends from a village in Laos that holds on to its traditions to the 1968 movement in Europe, while on the other it presents films that treat of cinema’s relationship with psychoanalysis and virtually demonstrate that cinema is an illusion and a ‘desire machine’.

For a full list of films, visit the Istanbul Modern website.

For the 2013-14 academic year, Terakki Foundation Schools in Istanbul are accepting applications from middle and secondary school teachers who are native speakers of English.

Candidates must have a relevant BA degree (ELT, TESOL, Applied Linguistics, English, etc) or be TEFL certified and have at least three years of relevant experience. Preferred candidates will have either the DELTA or an appropriate MA. We seek creative team players who can contribute to the continuous development of the English-language programs. Salary and benefits are excellent.

Please send your current CV, a recent photo, and a cover letter to

humanresources@terakki.org.tr

About the foundation: The Terakki (“progress” in Turkish) School was founded in 1877 in Salonika, then a major cultural and commercial center of the Ottoman Empire. The school has a well-established tradition of excellence in education and is located on a large campus in the center of Istanbul.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.