Historic peninsula to host mystic arts
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Organized by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Kültür A.Ş., the festival’s theme will be “Love is love everywhere, faith is faith everywhere, art is art everywhere. With love to art!” The event will be hosted in the most mystical venues of the historical peninsula, such as the Hagia Eireni and the Basilica Cistern.
Famous Turkish painter İsmail Acar will open an exhibition titled “Sema” at the Turkish Islamic Arts Museum on the first day of the festival. The exhibition will feature 50 oil paintings and welcomes its visitors with whirling dervish dance.
On the same night there will be a concert at the Hagia Eireni Museum, featuring songs by Turkish Sufi poet Yunus Emre. Also, the Ensemble Galata band will perform medieval songs using traditional instruments from that time.
On Dec. 18, dancer and choreographer Ziya Azazi will stage his play, “Dervish in Progress.” Chinese artist Tengir Too will give a concert at the Hagia Eireni Museum on the same day.
As part of the event, Iranian director Kemal Tebrizi will meet cinema lovers on Dec. 19 at the Eminönü Public Education Center.
There will also be free film screenings as part of the event.