Poet and painter (b. 14 June,
1926, İstanbul). His real name was Yusef Gerez. He has also used Habib Gerez as
a pen name. He graduated from Kabataş High School (1950). He could not complete
his studies at İstanbul University, Faculty of Law due to health problems. He
served as the private secretary of the Head Rabbi David Asseo between 1961 and
1996. In his articles, as did Isak Ferrera, he suggested that Turkish Jews
should speak and write in Turkish. He is a member of the Turkish Press Union,
the Turkish Association of Journalists and Travel Writers, the Tourism and
Presentation Association and the representative of Turkey at the Academia
d'Europa. He continues to work in İstanbul.
His poems have been translated
into Italian and French. He has exhibited his paintings many times and he won
the Accademia Internazionale di San Marco Poetry Award in 1979, 1985 and 1993
and the Centro d'Arte La Prora ve Movimento Aristico Nazionale
"Plurismo" Poetry Award in 1980.
WORKS:
POETRY: Gönülden Damlalar (Drops from the Heart, 1952), Renklerin Akımı (The Movement of Colors,
1954), Savrulan Zaman (Dispersed
Time, 1955), Meyhaneden Çıkan Kral
(The King Leaving the Bar, 1956), Acılı
Bitimler (Miserable Endings, 1960), Seni
Yaşamak (Living You, 1963), Dar
Açılar (Narrow Angles, 1965), Ölü Nokta
(Dead Point, 1966), Arayış İçinde
(In Search Of, 1967), Büyük Güzel
(The Great Beautiful, 1969).
ESSAY-RESEARCH: Yaşamın Tadı Tuzu Sanat (The Taste of
Life: Art, 1998), Rüzgâra Söylenenler (Things
That are Said to the Wind, 1998).
ANTHOLOGY: Başını Alıp Giden Dünya (The World Gone far Away, 1970), Gökyüzüne Gülen Güller (Roses Smiling to
the Sky, 1986), Yaşama Sevinci (The
Joy of Living, 1983), Yaşamın Ayak İzleri
(Footprints of Life, 1998).
