Cana Bilir-Meier: Semra Ertan

Videostill aus Cana Bilir-Meier, Semra Ertan, 2023, 07:21 Min., Video, Farbe, Ton. Courtesy of the artist

- selected by Inke Arns (HMKV) –

The short film is a fragmentary approach to the life and work of the poet, activist and worker Semra Ertan. Born in Mersin, Turkey, in 1957, Semra Ertan moved to Germany in 1971 to join her parents, who were living in Kiel as migrant workers. Writing accompanied her throughout all stages of her life. She wrote over 350 poems and several satires. Throughout her life, Semra Ertan campaigned against racism and for gender equality. Her fight against racist attributions was multifaceted. As a working poet, she addressed social injustice as well as her great devotion to writing. The short film consists of public archive material, facsimiles of the poems and photos from the private family archive. Semra Ertan died in Hamburg in 1982. Cana Bilir-Meier, Semra Ertan's niece, is also co-founder of the initiative to commemorate Semra Ertan, founded in 2018, and co-editor of the poetry collection Mein Name ist Ausländer - Benim Adım Yabancı (My Name is Foreigner), which published her work in German and Turkish for the first time in 2020.

Cana Bilir-Meier studied at the academy of fine arts Vienna and Sabancı University in Istanbul. In 2021, she was a visiting professor for art education at the academy of fine arts in Munich. She works as a filmmaker, artist and art educator in Munich and Vienna. In 2018, she co-founded the initiative in memorial of the writer and activist Semra Ertan and in 2020 she co-edited the poetry collection Semra Ertan. My Name is Foreigner / Benim Adım Yabancı.