Turkey to Dominate Spring Cultural Scene in Ljubljana
The Cankarjev dom arts and congress centre will host a festival of Turkish art between 24 February and 24 June, bringing a blend of traditional and modern Turkey in the arts ranging from literature and cinema to music and dance.
"The Art of Turkey" is a great opportunity to show Slovenian audiences the synthesis of traditional and modern, of East and West in Turkey, Turkish Ambassador to Slovenia Sina Baydur told the press in Ljubljana on Tuesday.
According to her, the country is dealing with global, national and minority issues as well as issues regarding the status of women and the youth, all of which is reflected in Turkish culture and the arts.
Turkey is a nation of the future which will play an important role in the EU, which is why it needs to be explored and understood, Cankarjev dom director Mitja Rotovnik added.
The festival will open on 24 February with "Fire of Anatolia", a dance extravaganza featuring 60 performers. The show will be staged four times.
Another highlight will be a concert by Kurdish singer Aynur and DJ Mercan Dede (8 March), to be followed on a more traditional note on 22 March by Burhan Ocal & The Istanbul Oriental Ensemble.
Between 22 and 26 March Cankarjev dom will screen six contemporary Turkish films selected by film critic Alin Tasciyan.
In cooperation with the Istanbul gallery Milli Reasurans Sanat Galerisi, the festival will feature from 14 March an exhibition of photos by Ali Arif Ersen entitled "Tres Americas".
The photos depict the lives of ordinary folk in three American metropolitan areas - New York, Havana and Buenos Aires.
From 26 March an exhibition of modern kilims by Belkis Balpinar will be on show at the Cankarjev dom Gallery.
According to plans the festival's main guest would be Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, but the visit of the acclaimed writer has not yet been confirmed.
In any case Pamuk's friend and scholar Jale Parla will come to Slovenia to deliver a lecture on Pamuk's work and influence in the second week of April.
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