Eighteen established writers, one from each city/region, were commissioned to write a chapter in a response to their Arts & Society theme within the context of their city.
Just as Ulysses is innovative in its form and language, so the writers were chosen with a view to reflecting a breadth of genres, styles and innovations. All the (new) chapters from the 18 cities/regions will be brought together in a book to be published in the Autumn 2024: ULYSSES European Odyssey.
Emrah Kolukısa wrote Istanbul’s chapter.
Writer’s Statement
While thinking about co-existence…
It’s been 100 years since Ulysses was published. It’s an interesting coincidence that the country we live in is preparing to celebrate 100 years since the founding of the Republic. In the meantime, however, as we come closer to this most crucial celebration, we are being led by a government which promotes the idea of fighting against each other. It is true that we fight, we discuss everything, and we wake up to another contradiction every morning. One morning it is the belief systems, the next morning women’s rights or lawless court decisions or freedom of speech…
While the government is busy creating superficial agendas designed to polarise people politically, we search to find common grounds to live together under the same sky, re-creating, re-inventing ways to co-exist. That’s what comes to my mind when thinking about co-existence in Istanbul, which more than 20 million people inhabit.
We are not like one another; some of us believe in God, some in stardust, some of us feel peaceful gazing at the Bosporus, others while walking within the Byzantine city walls. Time plays games in Istanbul, with her people. Following the traces of Ulysses, which may be considered the most ‘dangerous’ book of its time, re-exploring the city by getting lost in the streets of Istanbul, as if losing oneself in the pages of the book and in the mind of James Joyce is the newest game, the most exiting.
That’s what it is that I am after.
Writer’s Biography
Emrah Kolukısa was born in Istanbul in 1968. He is an actor, film critic and writer. After graduating from Galatasaray High School, Kolukısa was awarded his BA in history from the Bosphorus University and his degree in acting from the Istanbul University State Conservatory, Department of Theatre, 1991-94. He is best known for his roles in Cholera Street (1997), Serial Cook (2018) and Love, Spell and All That (2020), and as a writer for Utanmaz Adam (1998) .
He has created, produced and presented many radio and TV programmes on arts and culture. He has been, and still is, one of the most sought after arts and culture writers in Turkey. He used to write for the distinguished newspaper, Cumhuriyet, and currently writes for Birgün Newspaper, The Artnewspaper Türkiye and Istanbullook.com news portal and some Arts-Cinema periodicals. He is currently the creator and presenter of the acclaimed podcast, Kahverengi Yol Panoları, in addition to taking parts in mainly art house / avant- garde films. He is fluent in English and French.