The Spanish artist Antoni Muntadas analysed myths and clichés of Istanbul in his movie "On Translation: Açik Radio".

The film will be screened at a gala ceremony in the Istanbul Modern, the museum of modern art, on 7 October at 7.00 pm. The movie has a length of 31 minutes and can be viewed via the internet prior to the gala opening.

"The internet is used to publish and share this project. In terms of time and place the internet makes the project more accessible compared to television", Antoni Muntadas says about the publication of the movie via the internet.

The project was initiated in January 2009. Muntadas explains:

"In recent years an increasing interest for Istanbul developed, evoking an interpretation of the city from different views. The complicated structure of the city offers an interesting platform for research, investigations and interpretations on urban planning, architectural, public and aesthetic aspects of the city. But it seems impossible to determine the unique image of the city. The image of a city - especially Istanbul - is specified by its description by the media as much as the urban and demographic changes it has been through. There are two dimensions of this description: Myths and Stereotypes. Myths, build by the verbal stories of the people of that city and fed by cultural, social and political phenomena. Stereotypes, on the other hand, are being rebuilt by passengers, foreign writers, artists, media and tourists".

"By receiving an invitation for the "Lives and Works in Istanbul" project, I started to work on a project defining the way Istanbul is being represented and constructed by the media and examining the myths and stereotypes produced by the different internal and external views. I've been watching movies, reading, interviewing experts for days and finally decided to insert "Acik Radio" to the scope of the project. Acik Radio is both the target (object) and the filter (subject) of the project. Acik Radio's philosophy, moral and aesthetic values as an alternative and independent initiative are getting visible by the project. Acik Radio's operation is documented, on the other hand the programme series create an opportunity for dialogue between "Istanbulites" about the creation and consumption of myths and stereotypes."

Acik Radio is an independent "regional" radio station which broadcasts to the metropolitan Istanbul area and its environs. Even though Acik Radio was founded as a private company, if functions as a non-profit organization.

Antoni Muntadas interviewed Atif Akin, Gulden Kalafat , Ferda Keskin , Feride Cicekoglu, Korhan Gumus, Murat Guvenc, Nezih Erdogan, Omer Madra,  Sevket Sahinbas,  Tuna Erdem, searched more than 150 movies about Istanbul and made recordings around Istanbul and at Acik Radio for his Istanbul movie.

Four radio programmes entitled "On Translation: Myths and Stereotypes" have been realized at Acik Radio hosted by Yahya Madra. One of the guests in the program was bianet editor Erhan Üstündağ.

The work was part of the "Living and Working in Istanbul" project in the scope of Istanbul as one of the 2010 European Capitals of Culture.

Antonio Muntadas was born in Spain in 1942 and lives in New York since 1971. His works focus on the social, political, diplomatic and communicational issues. He has a close look at the relations and communication channels of private and public areas in the social environment and how the information flow throuhg these channels are being censored, also focussing on the sort of publication of thoughts. He works with photograph, video, broadcasting and multi-media installations.

Muntadas' works are exhibited in renowned museums all over the world. In July 2009, he was awarded with the Valesquez award, Spain's most prestigious award in the field of contemporary arts. (TK/VK)

Click here to see the film by Muntadas in a suitable format:

Ogg (110,7 MB)

MPEG4 (131,4 MB)