THE BOĞAZIÇI ROLLS: Erich Auerbach and Practical ......THE BOĞAZIÇI ROLLS: Erich Auerbach and...
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THE BOĞAZIÇI ROLLS: Erich Auerbach and Practical Figuration in Istanbul, circa 1943 An evening with ESTAR(SER) at SALT GALATA 28 January 2016, 17:30-19:00 The so-called “BOĞAZIÇI ROLLS” (two small slips of paper, rolled like a cigarette and concealed in an old cigarette box) appear to offer evidence of practices of sustained attention to missing objects in Turkey in the early 1940s. Do these slips (and related documents from the “Nachtigall Convolute”) reflect the activities of an intimate sodality of scholars, artists, and intellectuals based in Istanbul in this period? So it would appear. Did the ritualized protocols of this cosmopolitan cohort connect them to the Order of the Third Bird? It seems likely. Finally, was the great humanist-philologist Erich Auerbach a participant in these occasions, and did he there meditate upon the deep problems of exile, loss, and incarnation? Here is where things become urgent. At SALT on Thursday, January 28, members of the research consortium ESTAR(SER) will present a works-in-progress report on the Boğaziçi Rolls, and sift the compelling sources that have emerged from an uncertain archive. In the course of the evening, attendees will have an opportunity to experiment with the techniques of “figuration” that seem to be at issue in these puzzling materials. About ESTAR(SER): The Esthetical Society for Transcendental and Applied Realization (now incorporating the Society of Esthetic Realizers) is an established body of private, independent scholars who work collectively to recover, scrutinize, and (where relevant) draw attention to the historicity of the Order of the Third Bird. (www.estarser.net) About the Order of the Third Bird: There remains some confusion about the history and practices of the body known as The Order of the Third Bird, but evidence points to its having been for some time a loose network of cell-like groups that engage in ritualized forms of sustained attention to works of art. The canons of secrecy around these activities — their structure and purposes — have traditionally been sufficiently restrictive as to leave some doubt as to whether any individual professing knowledge of the Order could in fact be genuinely associated therewith. The “Boğaziçi Rolls Working Group” includes D. Graham Burnett, Jeff Dolven, Yasemin Nur Erkalır, Catherine Hansen, Sibel Horada, and Sal Randolph. Support for this project has been provided by the Kamel Lazaar Foundation and the Niblach Bequest.
Transcript of THE BOĞAZIÇI ROLLS: Erich Auerbach and Practical ......THE BOĞAZIÇI ROLLS: Erich Auerbach and...
THEBOĞAZIÇIROLLS:ErichAuerbachandPracticalFigurationinIstanbul,circa1943AneveningwithESTAR(SER)atSALTGALATA28January2016,17:30-19:00Theso-called“BOĞAZIÇIROLLS”(twosmallslipsofpaper,rolledlikeacigaretteandconcealedinanold cigarette box) appear to offer evidence of practices of sustained attention tomissing objects inTurkey in the early 1940s.Do these slips (and related documents from the “Nachtigall Convolute”)reflect theactivitiesofan intimatesodalityofscholars,artists,and intellectualsbased in Istanbul inthisperiod?Soitwouldappear.Didtheritualizedprotocolsofthiscosmopolitancohortconnectthemto the Order of the Third Bird? It seems likely. Finally, was the great humanist-philologist ErichAuerbachaparticipantintheseoccasions,anddidhetheremeditateuponthedeepproblemsofexile,loss,andincarnation?Hereiswherethingsbecomeurgent.At SALT on Thursday, January 28,members of the research consortiumESTAR(SER)will present aworks-in-progress report on the Boğaziçi Rolls, and sift the compelling sources that have emergedfrom an uncertain archive. In the course of the evening, attendees will have an opportunity toexperimentwiththetechniquesof“figuration”thatseemtobeatissueinthesepuzzlingmaterials.About ESTAR(SER): The Esthetical Society for Transcendental and Applied Realization (nowincorporatingtheSocietyofEstheticRealizers)isanestablishedbodyofprivate,independentscholarswhoworkcollectivelytorecover,scrutinize,and(whererelevant)drawattentiontothehistoricityoftheOrderoftheThirdBird.(www.estarser.net)AbouttheOrderoftheThirdBird:ThereremainssomeconfusionaboutthehistoryandpracticesofthebodyknownasTheOrderoftheThirdBird,butevidencepointstoitshavingbeenforsometimealoosenetworkofcell-likegroupsthatengageinritualizedformsofsustainedattentiontoworksofart.The canonsof secrecy around these activities— their structure andpurposes—have traditionallybeensufficientlyrestrictiveastoleavesomedoubtastowhetheranyindividualprofessingknowledgeoftheOrdercouldinfactbegenuinelyassociatedtherewith.The “Boğaziçi RollsWorking Group” includesD. GrahamBurnett, Jeff Dolven, YaseminNur Erkalır,CatherineHansen,SibelHorada,andSalRandolph.SupportforthisprojecthasbeenprovidedbytheKamelLazaarFoundationandtheNiblachBequest.
