ANCIENT FUTURES · 2023
Crane
Sculpture and video · Gatchina Palace, St. Petersburg · 2023
The rumor that Leyla and Majnun are stars in Turkish mythology stems from oral traditions that are often told among the people. According to this legend, the story of Leyla and Majnun is actually the story of a star.
According to the legend, there were once two stars in the sky: a female star named Leyla and a male star named Majnun. The stars Leyla and Majnun fell in love with each other, but the Gods decided that they should live far away from each other. Thereupon, the stars Leyla and Majnun began to move in different directions in the sky and remained separated forever.
This legend has been a frequently used theme, especially in Turkish folk music, poems and works of art.
“Leyla ile Mecnun” is a popular tragic love story in Turkish literature. According to the legend, when Leyla and Mecnun finally reunited after years of separation, a flock of cranes flew overhead. This is why the phrase “turnalar semah döner” (cranes dance in a circle) is often used to describe the feeling of true love and the joy of reuniting with a loved one in Turkish culture.
In short, the love of Leyla and Mecnun turned them into stars. We see the stars at night. For this reason, we will see a video about the meeting of the stars at night on this island of love. And in the daytime, a Crane statue waiting to meet will greet the audience on the island. There will also be light in the statue so that it will be suitable for seeing at night.
Configuration texts from Leyla and Majnun:
The legend of Leyla and Majnun in Turkish folk literature is also mentioned in the work called “Divan-ı Lügat-ı Türk”. Here, a version of the legend is told and it is stated that Leyla and Majnun turned into stars.
Poet Nef'i’s work “Leyla and Majnun” is one of the most important poems in which the legend of Leyla and Majnun is told. In the poem, it is emphasized that Leyla and Majnun turned into stars.
Fuzuli, one of the famous poets in Divan literature, also wrote poems about Leyla and Majnun. In his poem “Leyla and Majnun’s Friendly Complaint to Fuzuli”, Fuzuli refers to the transformation of Leyla and Majnun into stars.
In addition, Turkish folk poets such as Karacaoğlan, Pir Sultan Abdal and Yunus Emre wrote poems about the legend of Leyla and Majnun. It is stated in these poems that Leyla and Majnun turned into stars.
I have a generic slice of particles that smoothly transform into each other. This language will be shaped by the transformation of motifs in Turkish culture. It will have Turkish carpet motifs such as stars and cranes.
- Digital art, sculpture
- Ecem Dilan Köse
- Venue
- Gatchina Palace, St. Petersburg
- Programme
- Gatchina Nights
