Polish Orientalism in Turkey
The second important exhibition, Orientalism in Polish paintings, drawings and graphics will open in the spring. Works of Polish artists from the 17th to the beginning of the 19th century will be displayed at the Pera Museum in Istanbul. Among them are a Sarmatian portrait and the drawings of Jan Christian Kamsetzer from his journey to Turkey. The majority of exhibition pieces are thematically linked to Ottoman Turkey, while others refer to the Middle East and North Africa.
Stanisław Chlebowski, who between 1864–1876 worked as a court painter for Sultan Abdülaziz in Constantinople, will receive a special place in the Pera Museum exhibition.
Prior to that, in February, the Pera Museum will embark on a presentation of Polish films. Screened over a couple of months, the films are divided into thematic programmes: Orientalism in Polish film, Masters of Polish cinema: Agnieszka Holland & Roman Polański, contemporary Polish cinema, animations and experimental animation.
Between March and September, the Pera Museum will also host a presentation of the most recent music from Poland. Artists exploring the borders between different musical genres will perform within the framework of six presentations. Among the musicians are Marcin Masecki, Soniamiki, Paula & Karol.
Szymanowski and Penderecki
In the picture: Krzysztof Penderecki., photo by. Grzegorz Ziemiański / Krakow Festival Office
The Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra will perform four concerts in Istanbul and Izmir in June (among the soloists are pianists Piotr Anderszewski and Fazil Say, viola player Jurij Bashmet and violinist Julian Rachlin). The concerts will be directed by Jakub Hrusa, Krzysztof Penderecki and Andres Mustonen. With special consideration for Polish composers Karol Szymanowski and Krzysztof Penderecki, the ensemble, will present works of European composers.
Don't Panic...
Presenting the best and newest trends, songs and musicians of current Polish music, the tested and much enjoyed format Don't Panic! We're From Poland will travel to Turkey in the second half of the year. Polish musicians will also perform at the Istanbul Jazz Festival.
Music alla polacca, alla turca
Arte dei Suonatori, the most titled Polish baroque orchestra will travel to Turkey with the alla polacca, alla turca programme presenting the influence of traditional Turkish music and Polish folk music on 18th century classical music (the programme includes among others G.Ph.Telemann, W.A.Mozart)
Wojciech Bobowski, aka Ali Ufki
The Saz Ü Söz – Music and Words – a Pole in a serail project dedicated to an exceptional figure Wojciech Bobowski, musician and translator known as Ali Ufki (17th century) is off to a good start. Among the works presented by the creators of the project, the bands Capella Cracoviensis and Pera Ensemble, is Ufki's Psalms - a syncretic work merging traditions form the East and the West.
Polish-Turkish folk music
The programme will not lack Polish traditional musical (aka folk). A cycle of joint workshops for Turkish and Polish musicians which will culminate in a joint concert will be taking place at the Instrument Museum in Izmir (MÜZİKSEV). Can Polish folk music become a "bridge" between the music culture of East and West? The theory will be tested by Janusz Prusinowski Trio, Monodia Polska led by Adam Strug and Ewa Grochowska's Band of Singers.
Proust and Pamuk
The project Proust - Pamuk - Memory will premiere at the Istanbul Theatre Festival in June 2014. A merger between show and installation which joins theatre and cinema, it is based on the texts of Orhan Pamuk (Museum of Innocence, Istanbul—Memories and the City ) and Marcel Proust (In search of lost time). Both texts refer to the categories of memory and identity, for the directors - Emre Koyuncuoğlu and Krzysztof Garbaczewski - they provide a platform for the search of common European experiences for both Poles and Turks, putting emphasis at the same time on the cultural differences between the widely understood traditions of the West and the East.
TR and Masłowska in Turkish...