Mehmet Yaşın Spoke at ARUCAD on Poetry, Philosophy, and Encounters

Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design (ARUCAD) hosted poet and writer Mehmet Yaşın at an event held on Tuesday evening, May 5, at 6:30 PM at the Bandabuliya Campus. Moderated by Assistant Professor Dr. Hakan Karahasan, Head of the Visual Communication Design Department, the poetry talk explored more than half a century of literary production through the lenses of poetry, poetics, and philosophical thought.

The discussion focused on the book "The Encounter of Sappho and Rumi". Mehmet Yaşın approached Sappho and Rumi as “two poets meeting centuries later,” noting that this perspective points to the timeless nature of poetry. With the words, “Although they lived in different eras, we see two distinct periods of humanity coming together in poetry through their similarities,” he explained that this encounter could be read not so much as a historical intersection, but as a poetic and intellectual convergence.

Reflecting on the process behind the book, Yaşın emphasized that the starting point of the work was not directly the theme of love. “First, I tried to understand similar poetic traditions and how these traditions could be read. The theme of love became more apparent later within this encounter,” he said. Yaşın stated that in the poetry of both Sappho and Rumi, love is treated not merely as an individual emotion, but as a concept directly connected to the way people understand themselves and the world. “There is a movement from love to beauty, and from beauty toward a higher intellectual plane,” he added.

Poetry as a Way of Thinking

Giving special attention to the relationship between poetry and thought, Yaşın said, “Poetry is not only a form of expression, but also a way of thinking,” emphasizing that poetry can also be read as a philosophical field. In this context, he explained that poetry often opens a space of expression that prose cannot reach, reconstructing conceptual thought through a different language. He also noted that this intellectual dimension of poetry has appeared in different forms throughout history, and argued that the relationships established between classical and modern poetic traditions should be reconsidered from this perspective.

The discussion also addressed transitions between literary genres and the power of writing to connect different periods of time. “Every reader reinterprets each text through the lens of their own history and culture,” Yaşın said, explaining that texts gain new meaning with every reading experience and that this creates a space of encounter between different eras and the present.

Speaking about his own writing practice, Yaşın noted that poetry, prose, and philosophical thought are often intertwined. “It is not always possible to draw clear boundaries between poetry, prose, and essays; these fields often progress by coming into contact with one another,” he said, drawing attention to the multilayered nature of literature. In this regard, he emphasized that the coexistence of different genres enriches both writing and reading experiences.

In previous years, in collaboration with ARUCAD, a documentation-focused exhibition titled "My Beloved Dead Soldier" was held at Art Rooms Gallery to mark the 40th anniversary of Mehmet Yaşın’s poem of the same name. The exhibition was conceived as a study centered on the writer’s literary production and poetic memory.

Organized by Oya Silbery, the event was open to ARUCAD students, academic staff, and everyone interested in poetry, literature, and art. At the end of the program, Mehmet Yaşın met with participants and signed copies of his books.