Elif Shafak Interview: Art is About Resistance
Ойын-сауық
“You have to talk about what’s happening outside the window,” says the award-winning British-Turkish novelist Elif Shafak in this video, where she speaks forcefully about the importance of sisterhood and global solidarity, and about the novel as an increasingly needed democratic space. .
Shafak was raised by two women - her mother and grandmother - which she feels gave her an early sense of being different: “Throughout my life I felt like an insider-outsider, always on the periphery, somewhere on that threshold.” This, she adds, is a good place for the art, but a very lonely place for the artist. Growing up with these two very different women, she feels, has also made her a great believer in sisterhood - the solidarity between women: “Individually, we can have our own little successes, our own little strengths. That doesn’t mean anything if we don’t support each other, if we don’t empower each other as women.” This solidarity, she continues, doesn’t only apply to women but to all made to feel like outcasts: “We need to change these power relations. So, I’m someone who wholeheartedly believes in global solidarity. And I think we’re living in a crucial time for that.” In connection to this, Shafak feels that the underlying current in her novels is “a desire to give more voice to people who have been voiceless, to bring the periphery to the centre, to make the invisible a little bit more visible, to change those power hierarchies - topple it upside down.” Hence, minorities in all forms play an essential role in her novels as does the ability to talk about taboos: “Of course storytellers are interested in stories, and we love stories, but I think we should equally be interested in silences - the things we cannot talk about easily.”
“There’s humanism at the core of literature.” When her novel ‘The Bastard of Istanbul’ came out in 2006, Shafak was put on trial “for insulting Turkishness, even though really nobody one knows what that means.” Shafak - and her fictional characters - were eventually acquitted, but she had to have a bodyguard for more than a year afterwards. Unfortunately, she feels, things have not improved since then in Turkey, where a female novelist is primarily considered a female, and depicting, e.g. sexuality is deemed a result of the female writer’s experiences rather than her imagination: “You will be personally accused of being immodest.” In the face of this kind of censorship, this kind of attack against culture and storytelling, Shafak argues that “as writers, we can only keep writing.” If you are an author from what Shafak describes as “a wounded democracy,” you do not have the luxury of being non-political: “At the end of the day, art is about resistance. It is always a struggle. You always try to swim against the tide. You try to re-humanize people who are being de-humanized by mainstream narratives over and over.” Shafak argues that we’re living in a time where stories and storytelling is even more important to connect us and to increase our emotional intelligence. The moment we become indifferent is what is most dangerous, and literature “can poke holes in that world of numbness that’s been erected around us.” Finally, Shafak also comments on how many countries - including Turkey - have gone backwards in regards to democracy, and that we all need to step up, speak up and protect liberal democratic values, fighting inequality.
Elif Shafak (b.1971) is a Turkish-British novelist and the most widely read female author in Turkey. Among her many novels are ‘The Bastard of Istanbul’ (2006), ‘The Forty Rules of Love’ (2009), ‘Three Daughters of Eve’ (2016) and ’10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World’ (2019). Shafak is the recipient of several prestigious awards. In 2010 she was awarded the title of Chevalier dans L’Ordre des Arts et Lettres, and in 2017 she was chosen by Politico as one of the twelve people who would make the world better. She lives in London. For more see: www.elifsafak.com.tr/home
Elif Shafak was interviewed by Simi Jan in connection with the Louisiana Literature festival at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark in August 2019.
Camera: Klaus Elmer
Edited by Klaus Elmer
Produced by Marc-Christoph Wagner
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2019
Supported by Nordea-fonden
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Пікірлер: 77
Everything about this interview resonates with my spirit. I've been reading her books since 2008 my very 1st being The Bastard of Istanbul. She is absolutely brilliant! I have so much love and respect for this woman.
@jean-mareelloyd6271
2 жыл бұрын
I agree entirely with you Stephanie. She is an inspiration.
@sakinabayramova2478
Ай бұрын
AÀ
Such an intelligent and beautiful woman!
@osh_hoq6217
3 жыл бұрын
@Spencer Augustine thanks
How soft she speaks ... Damn soft. Her voice is lullaby for me.
This is an amazing interview, the way she explains everything is so perfect
This was calmingly brilliant. There are some terms that may make it sound less profound than the simple truth is, but when I want to think back on ideas that move me or I can believe in or that just make me feel better about people, there are not always that many to look back on fondly. We are always lucky to be able to experience words and writing that realize our feelings or give us a voice. It makes life a little easier for those struggling. Reader or writer or just human. Words from passion and compassion give back when we lack it and help us remember. To give others the thoughts and feeling they don't get to express? To me that's personal and I wish I had the bravery and acceptance that people like this have. This channel is filled with inspirational people who explore the creative connections in their process.
As a Turkish girl i am proud of you Elif ❤ You are such an inspritional person who leads people to find their way❤
@limotgirl9863
2 жыл бұрын
aynen ❤️
@sufismandclassicism7904
Жыл бұрын
Absolutely right women are being restricted in every matter of their life
I loved her accent. In Turkey , Most of the people who wants to learn English they are exposed to American accent. Maybe It is the easiest way to teach English in terms of teachers but English accent is the most tuneful accent out of those accents in the world .
Yes, these attacks on culture (...) are happening in front of our eyes. Thank you for this interview. Every creative person must find a way to support the resistance ...
Bold and brave woman ...in a male-dominated environment...i enjoy her writing and hope that her influence on the world will result in changes in attitudes, particularly those of men who currently seem to have power they did not earn, but stole from women.
Magnifique interview !! Thank you for it !
Distance creates closeness and attraction to something that connects with what can't be said.
That is true turkey is a big jail for journalists and for a lot of innocent people. It is worth struggling for human rights in turkey and in any part of the world
@egemensaklar7870
4 жыл бұрын
Harbi oyle dogrulari konusanlati iceriye atiyolar
I have just finished the Bastard of Istanbul....... Thanks Elif for such an amazing novel .....❤️
thank you for this wonderful upload....
Thank you very much…!
Her speech style is so good.
Great conversation that expands the mind and soul.....
What an amazing woman!
2021. Hi from Brasil. Thank you so much !
AGREE WITH HER !AMAZING LADY!
Powerful, smart, empathetic... thank you for this. What should be the first read... from her list of books?
@MrDarkphoenix100
4 жыл бұрын
the Bastard of Istanbul its the novel that got her prosecuted, followed by The Flea Palace, Followed by The Forty Rules of Love. and finally her latest one 10 mins and 38 seconds in this strange words. Enjoy ! :)
@mayrasiddiq5568
4 ай бұрын
First should be 10 mins 38 secs,Forty rules of love.
❤
Nic conversation......like paul auster and yann Martel
I'm in love with ghis beautiful classy woman
speechless
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Bu reklamı kim neden veriyor? Anlayamadım
@emreinan
4 жыл бұрын
orosbu cocuklarini sergiliyorlar
SEEM TO ME A WISER AUTHOR
15:56
Communication
❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉😊🎉❤
جميل
Again Elif Şafak talks very bad about Turkey she even said Turkish people made genoiside in Armenia and complained about the government of Turkey a lot,,,, increable...I sm very sad because although she is very well educated and well known novalist throug out the world she is always complaining about her own country in European platforms. I can' t understand this... but when I try to understand her I think that she is a supporter of Fetö indeed. this is the only answer I can find. and she is also a citizen of UK whoch means she doesn' t have to live in ger own country. because she has another home in another country...but if I could have been a citizen of another country for example UK like her, I would not have talked about my own country like she does always...never and ever indeed... I love you very much Elif Şafak you give me a lot of good feelings and thoughts also yes...Bit I never appreciate the way you talk about your own country never and ever...you could be a little more country lover person...
Iyimi
Vidyoyu kaldurin türkler izliyorsa lutfen bilidirn
@emreahmet167
4 жыл бұрын
Ne diyo ben anlamıyom genelde bizi kötüleyenleri övüyorlar diye biliyom o yüzden dislike attım da ne diyo merak ettim.
Sevdigim ysxar
Its Şafak not Shafak
@poine_2621
4 жыл бұрын
Klavyelerinde ş mi var boş yapma buna mı takıldın
@DarkSideOfMyAss_
4 жыл бұрын
@@poine_2621 sakin ol paşam çok gerginsin
@egemensaklar7870
4 жыл бұрын
Ş yokta h niye arap ulkesimiyiz biz
@emreahmet167
4 жыл бұрын
@@poine_2621 bulsun yazsın kardeşim internet diye bir şey var. Elif şafak'ı buluyor da ş harfini mi bulamıyor?
@emreahmet167
4 жыл бұрын
@@egemensaklar7870 ne diyon
The thing is my dear, you won't last longer than your life.
@rise.n.soar17
2 ай бұрын
That’s the whole point