ISTANBUL: Artist Karolin Fisekci Speaks At Fatih Altayli’S Program

ARTIST KAROLIN FISEKCI SPEAKS AT FATIH ALTAYLI’S PROGRAM

Hurriyet
Jan 26 2012
Turkey

Turkish Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk has denied having a relationship
with Turkish-Armenian artist Karolin Fiþekci via an official notice
issued by his lawyer Jan. 23 in which he requested she stop making
statements about him to the press.

Despite the warning, Fiþekci discussed the topic of her supposed
relationship with Pamuk as a guest of Fatih Altaylý’s program “Teke
Tek” on Haberturk TV on Jan. 23.

“I did not want to hide it,” Fiþekci said. “It was a secret during
our relationship, and I had to respect Pamuk’s private life. But
when it was revealed, people said many things, and I spoke in order
to clarify the situation.”

When asked if she was looking to gain fame through Pamuk, Fiþekci said,
“How many painters are known in Turkey? Everyone knows Bedri Baykam
on the street. Painters do not appear in the media. I showed Pamuk’s
human side. Yes, he was known through his books, but I wanted people
to know him through me, too.

Karolin Fiþekci “We met during the opening of an exhibition on April
16, 2009, in Istanbul. I had an article I wanted to send to him. He
gave me his email address, and after that we came together […] We
were often together over the past 2.5 years,” she said.

Offended by the notice

Fiþekci said she was offended by the statement made by Pamuk. “We have
lots of emails between us, but I do not want to reveal them. People
have said I am a liar, a schizoid. I was shocked when I received the
official notice. I laughed, too. A person who sees our messages can
also see the relationship between us. He did not personally tell me
to not speak; instead I got the notice. For me, a man should speak
by looking a woman in the eye.”

Fiþekci said her friends from the art world supported her and had
recommended a lawyer to her. “This is a kind of violence. Violence
does not only mean beating someone. This notice is like a threat. I
do not know about the legal process. The reaction from the media has
also been weird. They almost swore at me.”

She said she felt bad about the situation but did not have a desire
for revenge.

“We have not seen each other for about two months. We have not
spoken following the release of these statements. He says there is
no relationship, but I say there is. If he had warned me to not speak
about it, I would not have spoken.”