Artist talk: Özge Samancı

During a diving trip, two penniless students, Ece and Meltem, witness an unusual death – and, shortly before the 1995 elections, find themselves caught up in a maelstrom of political corruption, religious pressure, murder and much more. With “In den trüben Gewässern Istanbuls”, the US-based Turkish artist Özge Samancı presents a brilliant graphic novel in which she combines comedy, crime, political thriller, critique of religion, satire, social commentary, family drama and autofiction – fast-paced, deadly serious and utterly absurd, with depth and substance – and nominated for the 2026 Max and Moritz Award.