Humankind has imagined countless fantastic creatures to symbolize unexplainable events and express complex ideas. Found in the oldest written records, these creatures have been symbols of power that were feared as well as revered for their ability to do immense evil or good.
Order and chaos, the conflict between good and evil, have been embodied by gods and monsters. The order is kept by the Gods who defeat monsters, like Marduk slaying Tiamat or Zeus subduing Typhon. An infamous monster, the dragon, has long symbolized the cycle of life and death.
Leonardo da Vinci’s depiction of a dragon, Goya’s “The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters” etching, Picasso’s half man half bull beasts and Borges’s The Book of Imaginary Beings are all manifestations of this continuous interest in monsters. The talks will cover the striking world of monsters that have lived in mankind’s imagination for thousands of years.
January 18, Thursday / Time: 18.30
Monsters in ancient texts and depictions of creation
January 19, Friday / Time: 18.30
Monsters in Greek mythology
January 25, Thursday / Time: 18.30
Monsters in European art
January 26, Friday / Time: 18.30
Contemporary Monsters
Dr. Işık Şahin is a professor at the Trakya University Archeology Department. Dr.Şahin has a doctorate in Classical Archeology from Ege University and has been involved in fieldwork in Egypt, Greece, Turkey, and France, including excavations, surveys, and laboratory studies for many years. She has also contributed to the Archaeological Settlements of Turkey Project (TAY) an independent organization which documents and protects Turkey’s archeological heritage. Dr.Şahin currently teaches about Anatolian, Greek, and Roman Mythologies and Religions, Sacred Spaces, Epigraphy and Numismatics and continues her studies on belief systems of antiquity.
All of the events are free of charge and limited to 60 seats.
Invites for the free events can be procured from the Akbank Sanat Booth 1 hour before the event starts.