Art is a common language among all peoples, and Iran and Turkey can forge closer bonds by getting to know each other’s art and culture, said Samil Ocal, head of Yunus Emre Cultural Center in Tehran at the opening of Turkey Culture and Art Week at the Iranian Artists’ Forum (IAF) on Friday, October 2.
The event is to introduce Turkish figures of art and culture through a wide range of exhibitions, concerts and conferences, said a press release by the public relations office of the forum.
Yunus Emre Center is a Turkish cultural institute with 43 branches across the globe. It aims to promote the commonalities between Turkey and other nations. The branch in Tehran began activities in 2012.
“The Tehran center has been working to further promote relations between the two nations, who have been neighbors for a thousand years,” said Selim Ozban, culture and arts coordinator of the center.
The art week is the 150th program organized by the Yunus Emre Center. Ozban appreciated the support of the IAF, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other organizations that paved the grounds for holding the event.
“Iran and Turkey can get closer via art and culture, through meetings between writers, photographers, painters and filmmakers from the two countries,” Ozban said.
Majid Sarsangi, president of the forum, said: “One week is not enough to present and get to know art and culture of a nation.” He hoped for holding more such events in future emphasizing on mutual cooperation between the two countries. “Our artists should also portray the rich Iranian and Islamic culture and art in different cities of Turkey”.
Two exhibitions of photography and calligraphy by Turkish artists opened at the forum.
Sarsangi and Ocal inaugurated the photo exhibition ‘Human Condition’ by Selcuk Azmanoglu and the calligraphy exhibition ‘Followers of Words and Pen’ by prominent calligrapher Aidin Kose.
A session titled ‘Modern Turkish Cinema’ was also held on Friday where renowned Turkish director Dervis Zaim and prominent Turkish film critic Ihsan Kabil spoke.
Turkish musician and vocalist Mustafa Dogan Dikmen gave a performance on Saturday followed by a lecture by writer Yalcin Cetinkaya and Iranian musician Mohammadreza Darvishi.
A session to review Turkish poetry with Turkish poet Arif Ay and writer Ali Gorkem Userin will be held on Sunday.
Zeki Bulduk and Aykut Ertugrul are among the writers who have been invited to discus Turkish stories and novels at the session.
The week will conclude with a concert introducing the album ‘Hear us, Friends’ from the music group Yunus Emre on October 6 at the forum premises at Art Garden, N. Mousavi St., Taleqani Ave.
