The Galata tower is an old tower in Istanbul on the north side of the Golden Horn. It is an important symbol in the city; historically, culturally, and for Karin Karakaşlı definitely emotionally. Karakaşlı is an Armenian-Turkish writer living in Istanbul and writing in Turkish: poetry, regularly columns and opinion pieces for independent media, fiction, non-fiction and children’s literature. Her poetry reveals a tremendous love for the geography in which she lives, primarily the city of Istanbul. Karakaşlı has an almost synergistic relationship with this city – with the history embedded in every stone, building and landscape.

In this program, Istanbul resident architect Cem Sorguç presents his own vision parallel to Karin’s poems. Together they explore the city. Two literary translators will also join them on stage for a veritable “Translation Slam.”

Hamide Doğan and Sytske Sötemann will discuss their translations of Karakaşlı’s poem “Galata”: two different perspectives on the same poem, because a translation is more than just language and grammar; it is about emotions, feelings, experience, knowledge and… about personal stories. Multilingual program in Turkish, Dutch and English.