Welcome to "Generous Listener," a podcast celebrating the art of listening at the heart of creativity. Join intimate chats with the luminaries of the creative world who are attuned to their muses and the world around them.
Discover how generous listening shapes their journeys, sparks ideas, and uncovers the unspoken. Be inspired to listen, create, and see the world anew.
Tune in—every story is a doorway to endless possibilities.
Listen to the Land: Cooking Sections on Food and Activism
How can food reshape the way we see the world?
In this episode of Generous Listener, Merve Çağlar sits down withCooking Sections (https://www.cooking-sections.com/), the visionary artist duo behind groundbreaking works like the "Climavore (https://www.climavore.org/)" project. Daniel Fernández Pascual and Alon Schwabe share how they use art to challenge industrialized food systems, highlight the importance of local ecologies, and inspire long-term behavioral change.
From collaborating with fishermen in Scotland to working with buffalo herders in Istanbul, Cooking Sections reveals how listening to landscapes, communities, and non-human voices informs their creative process. Through powerful installations and innovative collaborations, they redefine what it means to eat responsibly in a climate-challenged world.
🎙️ Tune in to discover how food, art, and activism intersect—and how we can all become "Climavores" by adapting to our local ecosystems and embracing sustainable practices.
Explore their initiative Climavore (https://climavore.org/) on sustainable food systems. To read their published books:The Empire Remains Shop (https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-empire-remains-shop/9781941332375)(2018), Salmon: A Red Herring (https://www.isolarii.com/)(2020), and Offsetted (https://www.hatjecantz.com/products/59253-cooking-sections)(2022)
Find out more about Generous Listening: https://generouslistening.org/
7 Feb 2025
Listen Generously: Chus Martínez on Art and Nature
What if art could help us rediscover how to listen—to ourselves, to others, and to nature?
In this episode of Generous Listener, visionary curator and art historian Chus Martínez (https://chusmartinez.ch/) shares her reflections on generosity, community, and the transformative power of art.
Host Merve Çağlar dives into Chus’s unique approach to exhibition-making, which challenges hierarchies, fosters dialogue, and inspires collaboration across disciplines. Together, they explore how art spaces can combat loneliness, redefine relationships with nature, and become true hubs for connection and imagination.
🎙️ Join us for an inspiring conversation about the role of generosity in creativity and the importance of slowing down to listen and feel deeply.
Discover Chus Martínez’s work as Head of the Institute Art Gender Nature at the FHNW Academy of Arts and Design (https://www.fhnw.ch/en/about-fhnw/schools/academy-of-art-and-design/institute-art-gender-nature) in Basel.
Learn more about the Morningside Academy for Design (https://design.mit.edu/).
Find out more about Generous Listening: https://generouslistening.org/
24 Jan 2025
Listen Closely: Ji Yian on Stories That Inspire Change
What if every meal you ate was more than just food—it was a conversation with yourself, others, and the planet?
In this episode of Generous Listener, filmmaker and food activist Jian Yi takes us on a journey from his childhood love of storytelling to reshaping global food systems.
Discover how stories can inspire change, how food connects us to culture and sustainability, and why mindful listening is key to navigating today’s challenges. Along the way, Yi shares his time living in a Buddhist monastery, his insights into creating impact through curiosity and humility, and the surprising power of a simple meal.
🎙️ If you’ve ever wondered how the act of listening can transform lives and systems, this episode will leave you inspired.
Explore Ji Yian’s work at Good Food Fund (https://www.goodfoodchina.net/en) and China Vegan Society (https://www.chinavegans.org/).
Interested in food systems and climate impact? Check out Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer or The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan.
Find out more about Generous Listening: https://generouslistening.org/
10 Jan 2025
Listen Forward: Fatoş Üstek on the Future of Art Institutions
In this episode of Generous Listener, curator, writer, and art professional Fatoş Üstek (http://www.fatosustek.com/) takes us into the heart of the evolving art world. Drawing from her book The Art Institution of Tomorrow (https://www.lundhumphries.com/products/the-art-institution-of-tomorrow), Fatoş explores the crises facing cultural spaces—from financial constraints to the pressures of populism—and challenges us to rethink the role of art institutions.
Join host Merve Çağlar as they discuss how generous listening can transform organizations into participatory, regenerative spaces. From embracing cultural humility to creating fair practices for artists and audiences, Fatoş reveals how art institutions can become true centers of creativity, inclusion, and societal impact.
🎙️ Tune in for an inspiring conversation about reimagining the future of art in a world in flux.
Find out more about Generous Listening: https://generouslistening.org/
27 Dec 2024
Listen Through the Lens: Rena Effendi on Photography and Resilience
What does it mean to listen with your whole being?
In this episode of Generous Listener, acclaimed photographer and visual storyteller Rena Effendi (http://www.refendi.com/) shares how she captures the unseen stories of humanity—from war zones to moments of quiet resilience.
Join host Merve Çağlar as they explore how empathy and openness allow Rena to build trust across cultural and emotional divides. From photographing life in post-Soviet landscapes to her deeply personal quest to find a butterfly named after her late father, Rena reveals the profound connections between listening, storytelling, and healing.
🎙️ Discover how photography becomes meditation, how universal stories emerge from specific moments, and how listening generously can bridge divides both personal and global.
Read more on Rena’s documentary feature film, Looking for Satyrus (https://www.worldpressphoto.org/collection/photo-contest/2024/Rena-Effendi/1).
Find out more about Generous Listening: https://generouslistening.org/
13 Dec 2024
Listen Together: Hashim Sarkis on Architecture and Humanity
Architect Hashim Sarkis shares insights on designing equitable and sustainable spaces through generous listening, integrating diverse voices and resolving complex societal challenges.
29 Nov 2024
Listen for Solutions: David Bornstein on Journalism That Changes the World
Journalist David Bornstein, co-founder of the Solutions Journalism Network, reimagines journalism to focus on solutions, illuminating paths to change through stories of resilience and innovation.
10 Oct 2024
Listening for Design with Hashim Sarkis
In this episode of Generous Listener, Merve speaks with Hashim Sarkis, celebrated architect, urban designer, and Dean of MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning. They explore the profound role of generous listening in architecture, urban design, and education, and how it informs innovative and inclusive public spaces.
From his early work “Housing for the Fishermen of Tyre” to leading MIT's new design school, Hashim shares his vision for creating solutions that prioritize human needs, community collaboration, and sustainability.
Together, they reflect on the importance of listening not just to people but to the environment as we envision how we will live together.
Find out more here: https://generouslistening.org/
26 Sept 2024
Listening for Change with Fatoş Üstek
In this thought-provoking episode of Generous Listener, Merve welcomes Fatoş Üstek, a leading curator, writer, and art professional, whose work has transformed art institutions and exhibitions worldwide.
Fatoş shares her unique journey from studying mathematics to curating groundbreaking art projects. They explore the current crisis facing art institutions, the need for risk-taking in the arts, and how fostering curiosity and generosity can lead to deeper engagement.
Tune in for an inspiring conversation on reinventing the future of art and creating spaces that truly listen to artists and audiences alike.
Find out more here: https://generouslistening.org/
12 Sept 2024
Listening for Solutions with David Bornstein
Join us for season 2 of the Generous Listener podcast.
In this episode, host Merve sits down with David Bornstein, co-founder of the Solutions Journalism Network and renowned journalist, to discuss the power of listening and how it has shaped his career.
David shares his journey from software developer to journalist, recounting pivotal moments of deep self-reflection that led him to focus on solutions-driven narratives.
Together, they explore how storytelling can move beyond problems to uncover meaningful change, and why listening—both to ourselves and others—is essential in creating lasting impact.
For more Generous Listening check out: https://generouslistening.org/
11 Aug 2023
Listen to heal w/Ehud Abrahamson
Healing expert and researcher Ehud (https://www.instagram.com/ehudabrahamson/) joins Dr McKenzie to discuss how listening to himself led him to become a healing expert. Ehud explains why listening is necessary and how listening can help us to reach our full potential and heal the world. Plus, Ehud shares the listening methods he does to listen to himself.
4 Aug 2023
Listen to have a better world w/Peggy Dulany
Philanthropist Peggy Dulany (https://www.synergos.org/network/bio/peggy-dulany) joins Dr McKenzie to talk about the role of listening in philanthropy. Peggy discusses with Dr McKenzie how listening could help us to have a better world, why she founded Synergos Institute and how Synergos Institute (https://www.synergos.org) helps world leaders to listen generously. She also shares tips on how she strengthens her capacity to listen generously.
28 Jul 2023
Listen to interact w/Tarek Atoui
Artist and composer Tarek Atoui joins Dr McKenzie to talk about how he challenges our traditional ways of perceiving sound. During their talk, Tarek explains why he believes sound is a catalyst for human interaction and how current social and political realities are referred to in his work. He also shares the fundamental differences between how children and adults approach generous listening.
21 Jul 2023
Listen to preserve nature w/Kumi Naidoo
Human rights and environmental activist Kumi Naidoo joins Dr McKenzie to talk about the role of listening in activism. During their talk, Kumi and Dr McKenzie discuss how and why Kumi choose this path of action, why we need to listen to nature to save it and how listening could empower the cause of human rights. Plus, he shares how meditation has been a transformative activity for him.
14 Jul 2023
Listen to create change w/Zainab Salbi
Humanitarian and journalist Zainab (http://zainabsalbi.com) talks with Dr McKenzie about how her childhood experiences led her to try to become a generous listener and become an activist. Through sharing her real-life stories, Zainab explains how she found the courage to listen to people who committed crimes and terror. Also, she talks about how listening not only can be vital for the women’s movement but also change the culture.
7 Jul 2023
Listen to communities w/Josette Sheeran
Josette Sheeran, President of Canoo and the former World Food Programme Director Ambassador, and Dr McKenzie join forces to talk about the role of listening in diplomacy. Josette talks about how she came to listen to her own voice, how she believes in the power of listening to communities to solve the current issues we are facing and how we can develop leaders that can make a change. Through sharing her real-life stories, she reminds us of the wisdom of listening and connecting.
7 Jul 2023
Listen to deal with differences w/William Ury
William Ury (https://www.williamury.com), one of the world’s leading experts on negotiation and mediation, joins Dr McKenzie to talk about the role of listening in dealing with differences. During their talk, William and Dr McKenzie speak about how William’s childhood impacted him to search for better ways to deal with our differences and how listening is essential to transform conflict in a constructive way. Plus, he tells us his secret tip for effective listening and shares interesting stories of his conversations with presidents, politicians, and leaders to provide impactful lessons.
7 Jul 2023
Listen to flourish together w/ Vuslat Doğan Sabancı
Vuslat, Vuslat Foundation (vuslatfoundation.org/en)'s founder, joins Dr McKenzie to talk about why we need generous listening and why she founded this foundation. Through explaining her journey in founding the Vuslat Foundation, Vuslat invites us to question why we need a new social contract in today's world and how generous listening can help us make a more significant impact.
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