K.Kamal Ayyildiz is a Turkish-American poet and photographer living between New York and Istanbul. He was raised in Roanoke, Virginia by a physician father from Thrace and artist mother from West Virginia. Early on he learned that cultural wealth was primary to his art. He has received an MA in English and Creative Writing from Hollins University and has been the recipient of fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, the Edward Albee Foundation and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.
Walter Lees has had a number of solo exhibitions of his photography including Christie’s in London, Paris and New York. He resides in Paris and London.
K.Kemal Ayyildiz is a young and gifted Turkish-American poet whose evocations of the sights and sounds of Istanbul in his lilting American rhythms can best be characterized as heartwarming. His exquisite poems convey to us not only his captivating impressions of that history laden, romantic, bustling metropolis but also the fascinating, sometimes touching, portrayals of the Ayyildiz family. Like Istanbul which links Europe and Asia, Kamal Ayyildiz straddles his Turkish background and American persona. His aesthetic approach spurs excitement and sensuality and his diction never wavers from the authentic American vernacular. The Cistern vibrates with feeling, nostalgia, discovery, affirmation and hope. One revels in the poet’s enthusiasm and empathy.
Prof. Dr. Talat Halman, Chairman of Department of Turkish Literature, Bilkent University
Kevin Kamal Ayyildiz carries the art of music and painting into the art of poetry. The songs in this collection generate vivid images of Istanbul, the poet’s city that 'spreads like fire.' A remarkable effect is achieved by strokes of verbal imagination, the spendor of sound and emotional recollections filtered through the storehouse of memory.
Prof. Dr. Gunseli Sonmez Isci, Head of English Department and Director of Women's Studies Graduate Program, Ege University
This collection reminds me of a sketch for Nazim Hikmet's Human Landscapes (Memleketimden Insan Manzaralari). In this case, the poet is the son of an expatriate who returns to the old country, discovering the human landscapes in scattered quarters of contemporary Istanbul. His poetic explorations make us witnesses to his rebirth and rite of passage through these new acquaintances.
Alev Lytle Croutier, author of Seven Houses, The Palace of Tears, Harem: The World Behind the Veil
Ordering Instructions: To order using PayPal, click on the 'PayPal add to cart' button on this page. If you do not already have your free personal PayPal account, PayPal will prompt you on how to open your account. If you prefer to pay by check, please return to the ABOUT page. For information on shipping costs, see the shipping page.
|
