Nerd culture is rising. Comic book sales are up and everybody and their mum are watching Game Of Thrones or the next Avengers Movie. As usual I was flicking around geeky websites and I found a link to the Istanbul Comics & Art Festival here in Istanbul — a festival about comics, graffiti, art and animation, happening from Friday 8 through Sunday 10 September. As a comics nerd myself I wanted to know more about it so I sent some questions to their communications executive Ayşen Keskinkılıç for more information.
Can you tell me a little bit about what the Istanbul Comics & Arts festival is?
The Istanbul Comics and Art Festival (we call it ICAF) is a festival that brings together 4 different disciplines related to drawing, which are: comics, animation, illustration and graffiti. Also ICAF has workshops and seminars for cartoon lovers.
Where did the idea for this festival come from and why did you want to do it?
Alper Sesli the owner and agency chairman of the DSM group is a comics fan. So he decided to create the first comics festival in İstanbul, Turkey.
Did you draw inspiration from large-scale ‘geek culture’ events such as Comicon?
Actually in Turkey we do not have Comicon, but in Europe and USA it’s a growing market. Of course we are following the events all around the world but if you ask about the difference we are a festival not a convention. We have workshops where you can express yourself.
Your web page says that the event will feature: cartoonists, comic books, animations, illustrations, graffiti artists, and alternative performance artists. What do you believe is the connection between these different art forms?
ICAF brings all the art forms and drawing methods together without being bound by rules.
Last year we used “let’s have a break to digital platform” as theme. But this year we are welcoming all platforms. We just believe in art.
Will the event be focused on International comics? Or work by Turkish writers and artist?
We will have both of them be at the festival. We do have international and Turkish comics artists. Mr. Hicham Habci will be our guest comic artist this year.
But mainly there will be Turkish Comics Artists like Emrah Ablak, Ethem Onur Bilgiç, Furkan Nuka Birgün, Kutlukhan Perker, Devrim Kunter, Erdil Yaşaroğlu, Yıldıray Çınar, Sedat Girgin, Sümeyye Kesgin, Selçuk Ören, Cem Güventürk, Esen Karol, Çağıl Ömerbaş, Ali Paşaoğlu and Beril Ateş.
On the graffiti side Brazilian graffiti artist Manoel Quitério Santos will hold a live performance with other Turkish graffiti artists.
What kind of events will events will you be hosting?
We will have workshops and seminars that will be done at All Saint Church, which is very near to the event area. We will also be doing animation sessions, which will be held at the pool area.
Who will you have speaking at your events?
We will have a range of speakers on a range of different topics: Sedat Girgin, Ali Paşaoğlu, Çağıl Ömerbaş, Esen Karol, Erdil Yaşaroğlu, Hicham Habchi, Yıldıray Çınar, Cem Güventürk, Selçuk Ören, Sümeyye Kesgin, Beril Ateş, Emrah Ablak, Kutlukhan Perker, Devrim Kunter, İrfan Sayar, Ethem Onur Bilgiç, Furkan Birgün and GeekYapar
I noticed that some of the events will be practical workshops what will those include?
Just like with our speakers we have lots of different things going on, in a huge range from illustration to, bookbinding to skateboarding. Our full list of workshops includes: Comic Drawing Workshop, an illustration workshop, Hand Lettering, Paper Cutting, Collage Workshop, Stencil, Water Color, Mandala Workshops, Book Binding, an Origami Lamp Workshop, a Marker Workshop, a Fanzine Workshop, an Animation Workshop, a Character Workshop, and a Skateboarding Workshop.
A lot of our readers (myself included) are native English speakers; do you have any events in English?
We believe comics and art don’t need language. Usually comic artists can speak in English. But unfortunately all seminars will be in Turkish except for the one given by Mr. Hicham Habci on comics.
Which event are you most excited about?
All our events, seminars, workshops, live performances and animations at the pool sessions are making us excited. Also the opening party at the Bant Mag. Pool /Bina in Moda will bring all the comics lovers together.
For more information or to find the full program, be sure to check out the official page. Tickets are available via DSM.
All images courtesy of the organizer.
