Couple of years ago while researching for early Turkish electronic pioneer, Ilhan Mimaroglu’s work I got to this 7″ title, “Parmak Cocuk(Finger Boy)” It is a children’s story read by Solmaz Sporel with musique concrete accompaniment by Ilhan Mimaroglu. Release date is unknown and guessed to be from late 1960s and early 1970s. I have kept my eyes open for this 7″ since the day I read about it.
Yesterday I’ve searched the Soulseek network for it again but this time I was lucky to find it as an mp3 from a peer. After a little bit of more research on the title I found that release is a pure rarity and has no copyright owner today. I’ve downloaded two tracks (second track is also recorded from a 7″ vinyl titled “Cizmeli Kedi” which is also a fairy tale from same the session/series.)
This release is sensational, weird and stimulating. It should sound loud for anybody into avant-garde electronic music history. Turkish speaking people should get a bit more thrilled by the narrative.
Note. There is also a CD-R version you can buy out there by Creel Pone, a bootleg label run by Keith Fullerton Whitman. Creel Pone’s release includes a color booklet and a silver foil-stamp on the crystal-clear resealable polypropylene compact-disc sleeve.
‘Immense Piles of Gold’ Playlist:
Fatback Band - Let the Drum Speak
The Jacksons - Living Together
Udell - Won’t You Try?
Jiraphand Ong-Ard - Thai Boxing
Demis Roussos - I Dig You (Todd Terje Edit)
Love Committee - Just As Long As I’ve Got You (Jacques Renault Edit)
Poussez - Come On And Do It
Magic Power - Lady Midnight
Rod McKuen - Easy In
Kebekelektrik - Mirage
Bermuda Triangle - Secret Pillow (Lindstrøm Remix)
Womack & Womack - Footsteps On The Dancefloor
Now I am officially commissioned to create new brand for a Turkish bag manufacturer. I’ll be designing the line together with their in-house design team. We are starting simple and minimal. First line will include, a messenger bag, a laptop bag, and a shoulder bag for men in various colors. Currently we are looking for material samples. Corduro and wax canvas are looking great as far. I know many of friends are working for textile industries here in Istanbul and I should talk to them. All interesting material suggestions will be awarded. From main fabric to strap I need to know what options are available. Yeah this is very exciting because I have never done this before (maybe a negative thing?) but at the same time I think design is design (love this form of English; x is x.) We’ll see how it goes.
I am happy beacuse for once in my life I’ve got my work ready way before it’s deadline. Thanks to Mr. Caglar Kanzik, precision man, my partner in this project. Our work is titled Elvis. It’s a critisim of Turkey’s politics against EU standarts and shifting socio-control process nationwide. I should put more text and photos after the show opening tomorrow. We’ll keep it secret till then.
If you’re around Taksim tomorrow please come to our group show at Tershane’s new gallery which is on Turnacibasi Sokak #19 Beyoglu Istanbul (it’s the street where historical Galatasaray hamami is, before you hit to hammam gallery you’ll find it on the left. I assume you’ra taking Istiklal street.) So please stop by after 7pm tomorrow. We’ll all be there.
An idea: If you are in the borders of Turkey make sure to protect your beloved ones or highly valued goods with Turkish evil eyes. Leaving the meta meanings of it aside, it may actually work for you. Now there are sticker versions out too.
Yesterday with Gizem Candemir, we have created this tiny video of polygon smilies. Also a PDF volume showing about hundred smilies in scalable vector format is available.