Art continues despite terror attack

Istanbul's interdisciplinary art festival, Pera Fest, which has chosen "Art against Discrimination" as the theme of its 14th edition, opened on March 21 with a poetry & music event at Tiyatro Pera. Despite the general atmosphere of fear and anxiety due to the recent terror attack's proximity to the event, many of the invited artists attended the festival's opening event.     

During the event, poets Orhan Alkaya, Haydar Ergülen, Cenk Gündo?du and Hakk? Zariç read their own poems, theater actors Orhan Ayd?n, Ece Dizdar, Yücel Erten, Nesrin Kazankaya, Jülide Kural, Zeynep Özya?c?lar, Rag?p Yavuz recited poems of famous poets while musicians Güvenç Da?üstün, Dodan, Mehtap Meral, Vedat Sakman and Hasan Yükselir sung songs on discrimination, celebrating the spring festival Nevruz, International Day against Racial Discrimination, as well as World Poetry Day. 

The first panel took place at Kar?? Sanat Gallery on March 22. Art critic, curator and academicians Evrim Altu?, Ezgi Bakçay Çolak, Feyyaz Yaman and Emre Zeytino?lu discussed various aspects of discrimination in art. On March 23, three short films on discrimination were screened, followed by a discussion with filmmaker Enis R?za Sak?zl?. 

Afterwards, a panel on the theme "Discrimination and Media" took place with participation of journalist Tu?rul Ery?lmaz, writer Müge ?plikçi and academician Professor Asl? Tunç. The panel was moderated by Canan Kaya of the website medyatava. 

After a conference by Professor Zeynep Ahunbay, the last three days of the festival will screen three films at the French Cultural Institute on March 26 and theater plays on the theme of discrimination.

Three productions from alternative theater companies of Beyo?lu will also take part in the...