Author: Mergim Özdamar

Books
,  By  Mergim Özdamar
The Red Haired Woman by Orhan Pamuk: “a profound pronouncement on the importance of balance: East and West, individualism and authoritarianism”

When Orhan Pamuk’s name is mentioned, a lot comes to mind: Turkey, Turkish Literature, the Nobel Prize, East and the West, history and politics. Translated by Ekin Oklap, The Red Haired Woman is an exciting journey into the mysterious unknown with its multi-layered structure, originality and imagery in the context of individuality and authoritarianism. Pamuk […]

Art
,  By  Mergim Özdamar
Review: Fahrelnissa Zeid – the princess of abstract art

  First a daughter and a sister, then a wife, a mother, a princess and a painter externalising her talent… This major Tate Modern exhibition takes you into the world of a 20th century artist lost to history, whose life was as colourful as her art. Describing a self-portrait from 1980 Fahrelnissa Zeid observed: “I […]

HP Reviews
,  By  Mergim Özdamar
Review: Aylin Bozok delivers a remarkable adaptation of classic Samson and Delilah tale

  Aylin Bozok’s adaptation of Samson and Delilah takes centre stage at this year’s Grimeborn season at the award-winning Arcola Theatre in East London. Dalston’s Grimeborn Festival is back for its eleventh year, presenting brand new alternative pieces to classical opera and I finally had the chance to visit one of this year’s programmes: a remarkable […]

Art
,  By  Mergim Özdamar
Fahrelnissa Zeid: Istanbul’s famed abstract artist gets solo retrospective at Tate Modern  

London’s leading contemporary art gallery is currently hosting the works of Turkish female artist Fahrelnissa Zeid. Frances Morris, director of Tate Modern, says this major exhibition is an opportunity to re-appraise the “huge, ornate, decorative, multifaceted, brilliantly coloured, swirling abstract paintings” of this pioneering artist. Born into an elite Ottoman family in 1901, Zeid was […]

Books
,  By  Mergim Özdamar
Reading between the lines: author Orhan Pamuk to tour the UK

Nobel prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk will be giving a series of talks in Britain starting on 15 September at the Royal Festival Hall, with several other dates across the UK. The tour is inspired by his latest book The Red-Haired Woman and his home city of Istanbul. Pamuk made his writing debut with Darkness and […]