Rozental Celebrates His 35th Year In Caricature With ´Çifte Kavrulmuş´

June 15, 2026

Işıl Demirel & Izel Rozental

By Rakel MEŞULAM

Translation by Janet MİTRANİ

Kırmızı Kedi Pera, one of the significant cultural venues of Istanbul, hosted a meaningful meeting where the artist Izel Rozental celebrated 35 years of artistic life. Rozental, who has been documenting the social memory with his drawings in Şalom Newspaper for many years, celebrated this special day with the launch of his new book 'Çifte Kavrulmuş (Double Roasted).'

In the interview moderated by Dr. Işıl Demirel, the role of caricature in social transformations was discussed. Rozental emphasized the transformative power of art, saying, "Caricature is an important tool on the path to revolution."

Moderator Demirel, drawing on the book's content, drew attention to the state of being 'minority.' Demirel stating that the phrase "Let's not talk for a while then," has always been one of the most important strategies for most of the minorities in Turkey, discussed both the challenges and the strategic value of this situation with Rozental.

During the event, how Rozental's another book, 'Talihsiz Anjel Hala ve Edirne Kuşatması Günleri (The Unfortunate Aunt Anjel and the Days of Edirne Siege)', based on family origins, sheds light on the history of both our country and the world, was also discussed. This book, based on the diary and letters of Rozental's great-aunt Angèle Guéron, is an inspiring graphic novel on the destructiveness of war and the power of a human being to recreate themselves in any situation. The story of Aunt Anjel's efforts to hold on to life and the turbulent times of the period make us confront our past and present in every line. The artist, when talking about the story of the book, states that it offers the readers not only a selection of caricatures but also a personal reckoning and a need for society to "stop for a moment and think."

Izel Rozental also shared the place of Şalom Newspaper in his art. He indicated how the newspaper's structure, which is sensitive to the Middle East and the developments there, rather than mainstream politics, served in shaping his style.

Following the interview, the many questions from the participants converted the event into a platform for thought. While the readers shared their own comments, especially on the satirical elements and the minority identity in the caricatures, this interactive dialogue with the artist attracted great attention. The interview concluded with a book signing event.

'Çifte Kavrulmuş (Double Roasted)' by Izel Rozental is being presented to the readers via Kırmızı Kedi Publishing.

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