One of Turkey’s most renowned historians will be the subject of a talk at the Yunus Emre Institute this Thursday. Halil İnalcık, who passed away in July aged 100, was a leading authority on the Ottoman Empire, frequently challenging the biased and often hostile narratives of the West, as well as the exaggerated, nationalistic and […]
Çiğdem Aslan’s second album, A Thousand Cranes, is a mesmerising sequel to her debut album Mortissa, which celebrated the songs of 1920s’ Izmir and Istanbul. Her latest offering takes its cue from turna / crane – a migratory bird whose symbolism as a messenger can be found in many cultures and mythologies. On A Thousand […]
Since landing their first front cover, for Dazed & Confused in 1997, Mert & Marcus have pushed the boundaries of fashion photography, blurring the lines between artistry and commercial shoots. Their distinctive and powerful photographs of models and celebrities, including Madonna, Kate Moss and Kim Kardashian, have featured in cult publications such as i-D, Love, and […]
The Yunus Emre Institute pays tribute to Turkish acting legend Tarık Akan with a screening of one of his most endearing films, Canım Kardeşim / Dear Brother of Mine. The actor sadly passed away last month aged 66 after a short battle with cancer. Akan had come to prominence after being spotted by Ertem Eğilmez, […]
If you’ve ever wanted a taste of authentic Anatolian music, then look no further than Erkan Oğur, Bülent Ortaçgil and İsmail Hakkı Demircioğlu. Turkey’s three legendary folk musicians will be live in London next month. The trio will be performing at the magnificent Grade II-listed Islington Assembly Hall on Sunday 27 November. Expect a masterful […]
This week Christie’s – London’s premier auction house – reminds us of the cascade of beauty which Islam has given to the world. Its series of Islamic-themed sales are from a galaxy of different Muslim civilisations spanning a thousand years. No art-form exists which has not been carried to sublime heights in the service of […]
As the new academic year gets underway, thousands of British children of Turkish heritage will also be attending one of 40 Turkish supplementary schools. For three to four hours each weekend, they have the chance to learn to read and write Turkish, and explore their cultural history with children of a similar age. For some […]
As the countdown begins to Teoman’s London concert at the O2 Kentish Town this Sunday, here’s our top twenty facts about Turkey’s iconic pop rocker. Teoman was born Fazlı Teoman Yakupoğlu in Giresun on 20 November 1967. His biggest music idol is Elvin Presley. An only child, Teoman lost his dad, a lawyer, when he […]
For the second year running, a Greek play was staged at the ancient amphitheatre in Salamis, northern Cyprus. A 4,000 capacity audience watched the stunning performance of Antigone on Wednesday 28 Sept. Written by Sophocles around 441BC, this famous Greek tragedy was jointly produced by the National Theatre of Greece, the State Theatre of Northern Greece, […]
The UK Cancer Benevolent Association (İngiltere Kanser Hastalarına Yardım Derneği) is holding its annual fundraising ball next Sunday. The charitable group was set up to give support to British Turks undergoing cancer treatment. Singer Bahar Gökhan, the rising star of Turkish classical music, is jetting in from Cyprus for the concert. Also on the line-up […]
