May Chronicle by Davide La Montagna and Öykü Özgencil

Dear you,

A letter in itself often suggests a traceability and, perhaps, a trace allows me to start here.

I’ve been thinking about the word itself — "be-longing" — as if it contains within itself a constant state of longing, even as we inhabit it. I only rediscover that feeling when I realize I admire the same branch of the same tree as a bird does, or when I find comfort in the same wave as a fish. Could finding one's essence be hidden in anything other than opening space for every guest life brings to you and making them feel at home within you?

Maybe I romanticize it a bit too much, but I like to take Istanbul as a reference point, a base, a ground to sail into other stuff - like Etel Adnan who took the sea as her reference point in every city she goes. I find a certain urge in me, an impulse, something that pushes my energies, to hold something that I deem mine, about me, related to me, relating me to a we. What I came to think of is, how can we access a knowledge that speaks to us?

One can never be from İstanbul. It is no one’s land, no one can come from there, it’s as if you just find yourself there. In this liminal, transitory space on wheels, you are labeled as an alien, always. You can’t be from İstanbul, but maybe you can belong there, and hopefully you can die wherever you want.

Have you ever felt misplaced? Like some weird creature that doesn’t fit anywhere? Do we belong to the ones who know our favourite recipes? Our favourite songwriter? To none of this?

Do you know the poem One Art by Elizabeth Bishop? She says “the art of losing isn’t hard to master/so many things seem filled with the intent/to be lost that their loss is no disaster.” At times, I wish such generosity could be found more often, unexpectedly, like when you’re walking alone around a corner and bump into someone who startles you because you were too lost in thought.

I chose to think about the word “belonging” in this letter, because it translates into kuulua. I belong here — Kuulun tänne — or (here’s the juice) “I’m being heard here.” Since “kuulua” is a synonym for “hearing.” And in order to be heard; someone, that can be also other than human, needs to hear you & if the act of listening/hearing isn’t happening; belonging isn’t happening either.

Afterall, In every sense of the Word; I belong to the internet; do you?