We are pleased to announce that Mertcan Karakuş has been cast in the first episode of the second season of Seyir Quartier.
Mertcan Karakuş was born in Ankara in 1981. He graduated from the Department of Industrial Product Design at METU. His articles, translations, and interviews on LGBTQI+ representations in art and popular culture have appeared in various media websites and magazines. His novel, "Yüzen Küçük Şeyler" (Little Things That Float), was published in 2022.
Mertcan Karakuş © Emre Tarduş
The jury, comprising curator and writer Didem Yazıcı, academician, editor, and translator Şebnem Sunar, writer Selim Özdoğan, and Seyir Quartier’s second guest writer, Elif Nur Aybaş, explained its decision as follows:
The jury found Mertcan Karakuş’s portfolio to be compelling in terms of how he has established his own literary voice while striving to open up new spaces for expression in Turkish literature. His awareness of censorship and self-censorship—one of the defining topics of debate in contemporary artistic production—his approach to issues of representation, and his emphasis on the collective sphere were key factors in our selection. We unanimously decided to accept him into the program due to his original narrative, intellectual depth, and connection to current debates.
Selim Özdoğan
Şebnem Sunar
Didem Yazıcı © for Yapı Kredi Kültür Sanat, Koray Şentürk
Seyir Quartier’nin ikinci konuk yazarı Elif Nur Aybaş
On Seyir Quartier:
While the Turkish word “seyir” refers to observation in motion or a journey of discovery, “Quartier” refers to Cologne’s close-knit literary community and the program venue, Quartier am Hafen. The residency program in literary field brings these worlds together, offering a space for inspiration and growth.
Organized by
Supported by
In Partnership with
das “andere” Literaturcafé, Frankfurt Kitap Fuarı, Kulturbunker Köln-Mülheim, Land in Sicht e.V., NEOLA art projects e.V., Portiko Okuma ve Performansları, Verein zur Förderung der Städtepartnerschaft Köln – Istanbul e.V., Urban Cafe
