Ayşe Kalyoncu Cumur is the curator of the exhibition opened within the scope of the Istanbul leg of the Türkiye Culture Road Festival.
In the exhibition consisting of forty stories, man's search for truth, love, desire, fear and self-knowledge are discussed through different characters and narratives.
In his statement to the AA correspondent, Nacer Khemir stated that after the movie "Bab'Aziz", he turned to bringing together mystical and philosophical stories, thinking that cinema requires too much time and financial resources.
Through these stories, Khemir said he wanted to "give some meaning to life in this disordered world."
Stating that stories raise questions rather than giving answers, Khemir said, "These are not stories that give answers, but stories that lead to questions." he said.
Khemir pointed out that these stories can be useful for both children and adults, and explained that they can be published and evaluated in different media.
"I am a painter before becoming a filmmaker"
Stating that the event was his first exhibition in Türkiye and that he was a painter before becoming a filmmaker, Khemir said, "I have many paintings. What I show here are not my paintings, but illustrations of stories. These are a very different work." he said.
Nacer Khemir explained that the picture also influenced his understanding of cinema and taught him a different style of cinema from other filmmakers.
Stating that he wants to open a personal exhibition of his paintings and sculptures in Türkiye in the future, Khemir said that he especially wishes to organize a painting exhibition in Istanbul.
Stating that he is known as a painter in Tunisia, Khemir informed that he was among the 40 artists in the book published last year, which was about the workshops of painters in the country.
Khemir thanked the Rami Library for the invitation and stated that he was happy to be here and that he found the transformation of an old barracks into a reading area very meaningful.
"The content of the exhibition becomes even more meaningful after understanding Nacer Khemir's own story."
Curator Ayşe Kalyoncu Cumur also said that 40 stories in the exhibition were illustrated with the effects of miniature art.
Pointing out that the exhibition, which bears traces of Khemir's life and experience, is a reflection of the artist's perspective on different subjects, Cumur stated that the narratives in the exhibition are interrogative sentences rather than conclusion sentences.
Cumur said:
"It deals with the issue from a perspective that will make people look at the issue again in this fast-paced life. It is an interesting approach. The content of the exhibition becomes even more meaningful after understanding Nacer Khemir's own story. In my opinion, this exhibition overlaps with his own story. In this context, we welcome everyone to visit."
Explaining that the preparation process for the exhibition took 2-3 months, Cumur stated that the works and stories were brought to Türkiye through connections abroad, and that work was carried out to understand the translations and contents of the stories.
The exhibition includes narratives such as "Keşkül", "The Thief and the Saint", "Dervish and the Merchant", "Mirror in the Desert", "Three Butterflies", "The Key", "The Tale of the Sands", "Desire", "What a Great Silence" and "The Island that Tells Stories".
The exhibition, bearing traces of Khemir's works in the fields of painting, literature, theatre, puppetry and cinema, can be visited free of charge at the Rami Library until October 4.
