More Istanbul

There are a few museums that we should not miss while in Istanbul. One of them is Istanbul Modern, located close to Istekal Caddessi where the the current protesters have planted themselves. A shipyard wear house has been converted into a fantastic museum where Turkish art (painting and other installations) and film (contemporary documentaries and short films) are exhibited. While the tourist sites primarily focus on Ottoman Turkey, this museum gives a peep into Republican Turkey, its aspirations, ambitions and problems. It gives one a sense of the sizable secular middle class that constitutes republican turkey. Of particular interest is the film section where films are screened (exhibited) in six to eight rooms. I saw at least four extremely interesting films on gender and sexuality as well as art. The museum was holding a photography exhibition on the theme of 'personal memoirs' and a special one on Renaut Art Collection. 

What delighted me also was the unexpected treasure that I found in the shop attached to Bascillica Cistern - a whole section on contemporary cartoons in Turkey. I spent more than an hour pouring through the collection one of which I ended up buying. The one that you see is the collection of the individual cartoonist. But the Association of Cartoonists also publishes best cartoons from International Nasreddin Hodja Cartoon Contest which has cartoonists from the entire region - Bulgaria, Iran, Romania, Turkey, Greece etc. participate. Globalization, region's fascination with Ottomans, the shallowness of religion, state and other institutions are recurrent themes in the cartoons.




The cartoonist is a symbol of the secular, republican turkey, which is currently on defensive. The character of 'persecuted cartoonist' Elif Shafak's novel 'The bastard of Istanbul' gets slapped with cases for insulting the national parliament while he thinks that the citizen's ability to lampoon is the basis of the republic. He initially depicts them as sheep. Despite the Court's strictures against repeating the mistake, he depicts them as ..., which to his delight, lands him in prison!