Dialogue Project – Istanbul

Don’t leave me behind, I beg you
Just stay where you are
Don’t consider yourself equal with seagulls,
You don’t have the wings you may fall, you may get tired*

The Pera Museum is presenting the premiere of the Dialogue Project – Istanbul, an interdisciplinary performance that merges documentary theatre, sound installations, visual arts, and live music. This performance is part of the Istanbuls Today exhibition and explores the theme of migration through the lens of Istanbul.

The project aims to foster dialogue between immigrant and refugee groups and the wider society. Four émigré artists residing in Istanbul, hailing from Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ukraine, will present autobiographical stories in seven languages: Turkish, English, Persian, Ukrainian, Russian, Lingala, and French. The project prioritizes the intercultural and interdisciplinary exchange of ideas during the creative process, resulting in an illusion of dialogue.

The performance will have Turkish and English surtitles.

Priced at TRY 125, the tickets are available at Biletix.com or may be purchased from the Pera Museum's reception desk on the event day. Friends of Pera Museum may enjoy a 50% discount. Seats are limited and unnumbered. The event is suitable for audiences aged 7+. The performance will be broadcast live on Pera Museum’s event page. The duration of the event is approximately 1 hour.

About the Dialogue Project - Istanbul
The Dialogue Project unites émigré professional artists who aspire to be a part of the creative industry in cosmopolitan cities with high migration rates. Making stops in major European cities such as Istanbul, Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Vienna, the project promotes a sense of community with the participation of émigré artists.

As part of the Dialogue Project - Istanbul, émigré artists from diverse cultural and artistic backgrounds gather under the same roof to share their autobiographical stories with the audience. Hosting the performance, Istanbul takes a leading role in the Dialogue Project, which combines documentary theatre, a rare form of performing arts, with contemporary theatre, by serving as a platform that allows an aesthetically and fictionally rich experience to take place.

Émigré artists use sound installations, visual arts, and live music in this interdisciplinary performance to create an illusion of dialogue, sharing their autobiographical stories, observations, and experiences about Istanbul during their time in the city.

The stories are presented to the audience in three parts: "Intro," "Journey," and "Home / Another World.” The Dialogue Project aims to empower a discourse of inclusion, diversity, and unity. It also seeks to strengthen the bonds between immigrant and refugee groups and the wider society and to promote dialogue and interaction among them, as its name implies.

Producer and Director: B. Safa Calis (Germany - Berlin)
Exc. Producer and Sound Design: Kıvanç Sarıkuş (the Netherlands - Rotterdam)
Supervisor: Bengü Gün (Türkiye - Istanbul)
Storytellers:
Saghar Daeri (Iran - Tehran)
Enzo İkah (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Marina Nazarova (Ukraine - Mykolaiv)
Ali Bonyadi (Iran - Manjil)
Cinematography - Live Stream:
Mert Coşar (Türkiye - Istanbul)
Cem Celal Bilge (Türkiye - Istanbul)
Stage Design – Poster:
Oliviera Prins (the Netherlands - Rotterdam)
Project Assistant:
A.Can Güngör (Türkiye - Istanbul)

*Excerpt from Attilâ İlhan's poem “Dead End in August”.

Temporary Exhibition