Art in Europe – The Turquoise Chronicles

Bucket List: İstanbul

May 12, 2024 Posted in Architecture, Art in Europe, Arts in Turkey, Culture, Istanbul, Turkey6 Comments

My time in İstanbul is quickly drawing to a close. By mid-June, I will be stateside. I have been lucky enought to host a bevy visitors this spring, friends and family alike. Checking out cultural sights, cozy cafes, and art stores with loved ones is the best. I’ve been checking off my bucket list as I go.

First up – a night at Georges Hotel. The hotel, located within spitting distance of Galata Tower, has been a favorite of mine due to its rooftop bar (Floor 5) featuring a 180 degree view of the Bosphorus, the Asian side, and the Sultanahmet area.

If you’re lucky enough to catch the call to prayer from that vantage point, you will hear it echo from multiple mosques, reverberating across the Beyoğlu, Cihangir, and Galataport neighborhoods. Emily and I were lucky enough to enjoy this experience, watching a nearly full moon rise over the Bosphorus and the warm glow of night lights appear across the landscape.

At the last minute, I chose to spend a night at the hotel, having been curious about the state of the place during my many visits for dinner with my guests. The room didn’t disappoint. Gorgeous hardwood floors and noise-cancelling windows, a little balcony for two with Galata Tower views was the cherry on top. Incredibly nice staff, including a lobby cat named Lollipop, made up my high praise for the experience.

Of course, no trip to Istanbul is complete without a visit to the Grand Bazaar. Emily and I shopped until we dropped, choosing lamps and carpets for family back home.

Our next stop was Dolmabahçe Palace. Just past the Kabataş ferry port (the end of Tram line 1) and across from Beşiktaş football stadium, this palace boasts a gorgeous waterfront property along the Bosphorus. When Emily and I visited, we found the gardens in full bloom and plenty of people posing for photographs along the waterfront.

The palace itself was wildly ostentatious – featuring a combination of Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical architecture. Home to six sultans, the building functioned as the main administrative center for the Ottoman Empire for multiple periods between 1856 and 1922. Building costs nearly exceeded the equivalent of 2 billion USD in today’s figures.

Lacking exhibition text with explanation, the tour through the building was a visual experience only. We chuckled when noting that the portrait artists wished to remain “anonymous” (vs. “unknown”). With newly introduced foreigner admission fees now in the range of $38USD, it is an expensive endeavor, one I feel you could probably experience from the gates and local surrounding area, if you were looking to save a buck or two.

I checked off another bucket list item, a weekend in Moda, just recently. Moda, a neighborhood of the more well-known Kadıköy is located on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. I booked an Airbnb featuring a gorgeous fourth floor deck with 360 degree views of the Princes’ Islands and the wide open sea. Taking the bus downtown after work, I arrived just in time for sunset on my first evening. The wind was stiff but it was glorious to sleep with the windows cracked to enjoy the salt air of the sea.

During my time on the Asian side, I also enjoyed lunch with friends at Çiya Sofrası in Kadıköy. Featuring Anatolian dishes, served since the Ottoman Empire days, the restaurant serves food that is moderate in spice, plentiful in rice, eggplant, and vegetable stews. My friends Michele and Monique joined me and we struggled to hear ourselves speak among the cheers of the football fans surrounding us. With drums played in the streets and a cheer for every occasion, the fans were certainly raring to go for the evening’s match at the nearby Fenerbahçe football stadium.

On my second night in Moda, I hosted downtown friends for meze (small Turkish dishes) and wine on the roof deck. We could hear the roar from the football stadium as well as the muezzin call at sunset. As day faded to evening, we soaked in the reflection of the moon on the open water, with ferries continuing to scurry locals from port to port well into the night.

As I count down to my final month in İstanbul, my bucket list is growing slim. Still on the list – a visit to Hisari Rumeli Castle Fortress (below left) and a ride on the Bosphorus in a water taxi (below right).

Enjoying time with good friends is paramount as I prepare to leave Istanbul. I have a few more visitors to welcome in the meanwhile. As excited as I am about the future, I’m in no rush for this special time to pass by. I will leave this gorgeous city with wonderful memories and no regrets.

The Egyptian consulate on the Bebek waterfront

Travels with My Aunt

April 14, 2024April 14, 2024 Posted in Architecture, Art in Europe, Arts in Turkey, Culture, Exploring Turkey, Istanbul, Turkey6 Comments

New landscapes, new customs. The accumulation of memories. A long life is not a question of years. A man without memories might reach the age of a hundred and feel that his life had been a very brief one. – Graham Greene, Travels with My Aunt

Carpe diem, indeed. My aunt Susan (affectionately known as Suz) has certainly seized the opportunity in her travel existence. Over the past decade, she’s come to visit me in each country in which I’ve lived – South Korea, Russia, and now Türkiye.

Traveling solo from her small town in Maine, I greatly appreciate her effort to visit and always enjoy our time together. Suz is an appreciator of the Arts, often taking me to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston for my birthday when I was young.

We started off the visit on a swanky note with a stay at the Pera Palace Hotel. Though I’ve been for Sunday tea, I had never spent the night.

The Pera Palace Hotel has provided respite for many visitors to Istanbul. Famous guests include Agatha Christie, Ernest Hemingway, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (we stayed next door to her room). It seemed all too fitting to learn that American writer Graham Greene had featured the hotel in his 1969 novel, “Travels with My Aunt”.

The hotel proved a fantastic spot to get our feet wet downtown – we drank çay at sidewalk cafes, did some shopping, and visited one of the few Catholic churches in Istanbul (certainly the largest) – St. Anthony of Padua.

April is simply the perfect time to Istanbul. The warm spring sun was quite a foil for the nor’easter Suz left behind in Maine. Trading snow for tulip season proved the perfect antidote.

Emirgan Park was our first stop, soaking in the gorgeous carpet of tulips blanketing the park. We were happy to trade the hustle of the city for quiet meditation, possible only early in tulip season, before so many visitors decend. We also took in the Sakıp Sabancı Museum, learning of the Modernist path pursued by Turkish painters in the late 1800s. A stunning terrace view of the Bosphorus can be seen from the museum’s front yard.

After our time at Emirgan Park, we shifted to a hotel in Sultanahmet (Hotel Arcadia Blue). Ideal for it’s proximity to the major sights (I’m currently recovering from a bit of knee surgery), we explored the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and even took in a whirling dervish show featuring local musicians.

As always, the Grand Bazaar was a highlight (Suz took to Turkish coffee like a pro). We also enjoyed our time at the Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı). Many fine Turkish treats are currently en route to Hallowell, Maine!

On the recommendation of my friend Monique, we checked out Pandeli Restaurant. Tucked away above the unassuming Eminönü entrance to the spice bazaar, the restaurant has been in business since 1901. While famous guests like Queen Elizabeth II and Audrey Hepburn have enjoyed lunch in these quarters, the menu remains affordable and delicious. The famous blue tiles added to the ambiance.

Our time downtown soon came to a close. With the bayram holiday (Eid) quickly approaching, it was time to clear out of Istanbul and see more of the Turkish countryside. We were off to Bursa and İznik.

Modern Masters

March 29, 2024 Posted in Architecture, Art in Europe, Arts in Turkey, Culture, Istanbul, Turkey2 Comments

Ara Güler and Devrim Erbil. Two artists as intrinsically linked to Istanbul as çay (tea) and the Hagia Sophia. I’ve come to admire both reverently. Their artworks capture diverse aspects this city, from Istanbul’s mystical link to the sea to the iconic skyline dotted with mosques and minarets. Quite simply, the two artists are modern Turkish masters. Nobody does Istanbul better.

“The Eye of Istanbul”, Ara Güler passed away in 2018. His 90 years on this earth were heavily devoted to capturing the essence of the city. A dedicated photojournalist, Ara strode the cobblestone streets of Pera and walked the docks of Karaköy, capturing gorgeous black and white photographs full of contrast and contrasts.

“We record our period and leave it to the next generation.” – Ara Güler

The faces of his subjects capture the prevalent philosophy of the Turkish people who work this city. From the grungy waterfront culture to the old men playing backgammon on the sidewalk, Ara embraced befriended them all.

Children playing in Tophane, Istanbul, 1986

He captured that ineffable juxtaposition of hope in a better tomorrow and a resigned submission that no matter one’s effort, what will be will be. The self-determined American in me bristles at this take. Somewhere in the back of my mind, however, I do wonder if they know something I do not, given roughly 40,000 years of human inhabitance in the region (since the late Paleolithic period, to be precise).

Last month, I visited the Ara Güler Museum in Istanbul’s Bomonti neighborhood. The exhibition space is small, a few brick walled rooms in a restored beer factory.

On display, photographs from outside of Istanbul, into the villages of Türkiye’s Anatolia region (also known as Asia Minor).

Featuring vibrant colors and careful composition techniques, Ara’s obvious respect and love for his homeland radiates from the glossy prints.

The photo above, taken outside Istanbul’s Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque, highlights the essence of Istanbul from the perspective of a small child – low to the ground, fighting for balance, and a sky full of Ottoman architecture.

Ara Güler died in 2018. Istanbul native writer, Orhan Pamuk, wrote this tribute called ‘I Like Your Photographs Because They Are Beautiful’ to honor his friend’s life and legacy. The piece features many of Ara’s most powerful images.

Devrim Erbil
*The Printmaker of Istanbul*

“[Devrim Erbil] is known for his poetic interpretations of Istanbul’s cityscape, which capture the dynamic pulse and historic textures of the city. Erbil’s style brings together traditional motifs and contemporary sensibilities, often featuring a birds-eye view and a vibrant palette that represent the bustling life and scenic vistas of Istanbul.”

Passion for Istanbul (Red), Devrim Erbil

Known for his repetitive mark-making and bright, sometimes metallic pieces, Erbil’s prints are instantly identifiable. Awarded the title of “State Artist” in 2019, Erbil has over six decades of practice under his belt and is also a professor at Doğuş University on the Asian side of Istanbul.

It has been a goal of mine to locate a Erbil print before departing the city. During February school break, as my uncle and I walked through Kadıköy on Istanbul’s Asian side, we stopped into an art gallery on one of the main streets.

The gallery had a number of Erbil’s most common prints – monochromatic cityscapes featuring murmurations of birds rising in flight above the Bosphorus. I enjoyed them but nothing caught my eye until I spotted this piece below.

Featuring Erbil’s interpretation of the inside of the Hagia Sophia, the print captures the storied building in shimmering glory. Using flaking gold leaf to represent the 1500 year old ceiling as it stands today, Erbil employs a bright blue to represent the sky and green shrubbery on the floor below. The indoor/outdoor juxtaposition reminds me of all the iterations that this place of worship has taken on since Justinian ordered its creation. I also love the circular calligraphic panes written in Arabic which are visible within the print, immediately reminding the view of the famous building represented within.

Needless to say, I caught the ferry from Kabataş later that week and purchased my Erbil print. It’s now carefully rolled, awaiting transport to my future home on Montagnola, where it will become another wonderful reminder of my two years in Türkiye.

The Galata Bridge at Midday, Ara Güler, 1954

During my time in Istanbul, I’ve been lucky to be introduced to many artists, both historic and contemporary. Devrim and Güler stand out not only for their notoriety but also for their dedication to the city. Both artists will be featured in art history books for having sought to capture and make some sense of the frenetic energy of this city of seven hills.

Edirne

March 17, 2024 Posted in Architecture, Art in Europe, Arts in Turkey, Culture, Exploring Turkey, Turkey5 Comments

Last weekend, my friend Kasia and I took a train journey to the northwest of Türkiye, right on the Bulgarian border. Both fans of history and architecture, we had been talking about making this trip for months. With a newly opened railroad stop in our little park and Kasia’s determination to purchase the tickets (never a simple endeavor in Turkey), we finally made it happen!

A light rain fell upon us as we boarded the train at Ispartakule. We quickly entered the Turkish countryside, sidling by my school on the Bulgaria-bound tracks. As is often the case, the train took extra long stops at multiple stations, arriving in Edirne about an hour late. With a roundtrip ticket cost of 370 Turkish lira ($12 USD), one really can’t complain.

A gorgeous morning greeted us on our first day in Edirne. Finishing breakfast at the West Door Hotel (I’d give it three stars for its central location), we set out on foot. A former capital of the Ottoman Empire, prior to Constantinople, Edirne boasts a number of gorgeous mosques, a health museum, and a number of Roman ruins. We chose the Selimiye Mosque as our first destination.

Edirne town center with Roman ruins in the foreground and the Eski (Old) Mosque behind.

Edirne’s “modern” history begins in 510BC when the Persian Empire ruled this land. The Byzantine Empire followed and Edirne remained under Byzantine rule after the empire split from the Romans in 395BC. Macedonian Phillip II (the father of Alexander the Great) took over as ruler in 340BC.

Edirne is located in area labelled “Thrace” in the upper lefthand corner of the Persian Empire

Fast forward a few millennia to the 14th century and the Ottomans were in charge of much of southeast Europe, North Africa, and West Asia. In 1395, Edirne was named the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

The Selimiye Mosque – truly stunning in its geometric tiles and vaulted ceilings. Named a UNESCO world heritage site in 2011, much of the mosque remains under renovation. Even so, the intricate craftsmanship and sweeping elegance was readily apparent.

The Selimiye Mosque was designed and executed by Imperial architect Mimar Sinan between 1568-1575. A prolific architect, Sinan completed projects all over the Ottoman Empire, including the Kanuni Sultan Suleiman Bridge located in Büyükçekmece (close to my school).

The Eski Camii (ie. mosque, pronounced “ja-mee”) boasts one of the most unique mosque interiors I’ve ever experienced. Almost contemporary in appearance, the ground level features the eight names of Islam in huge calligraphic scroll. The “W”-like inscription on the left translates to “Allah”, or God.

Drawing the eye upwards from the darkness and into the light, the mosque features an oculus representing the vault of heaven.

In 1453, Edirne lost its title when the Ottoman capital was moved to Constantinople (present day Istanbul) but the city remained a summer sanctuary for sultans and rulers. In 1828, Edirne was occupied by the Russians. Next came occupation by the Bulgarians in 1913, then the city was ceded to the Greeks in 1920, and finally restored to Turkish control in 1922.

The Health Museum lies across a river from downtown Edirne. This bucolic setting was chosen as a külliye (building complex including a mosque and clinic), the perfect spot for Ottoman scholars to study medicine beginning in the year 1488.

During the Ottoman period, the imaret or “soup kitchen” came to be. With the goal of feeding the poor, travelers, and students in proportion with that of the local community, the soup kitchen was a forward-thinking concept birthed by the Ottomans.

Today Edirne is a tourist destination, known for its mosques, fruit soaps, liver (tava ciğer), and keçecizade, an almond paste (featuring twice as many almonds as marzipan). I felt particularly lucky to visit Edirne on the cusp of Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection.

The last stop on our “Camii Tour” took us to the Üç Şerefeli Mosque (“three balconies”, as seen on the minaret above right). The gorgeous floral patterns evoke a Chinese influence and bricks of limestone highlight the unusual designs on the structure’s four minarets.

After a day of camii-hopping, we searched for a spot to enjoy a drink. Hard to find in a fairly dry Turkish town, we hit a few roadblocks before discovering Woodhouse around the corner from Papa’s Cafe Bar. As we walked home, the streets were calm once again, devoid of the afternoon tourists seeking their fix of the famous Edirne ciğer.

All too soon, it was time to head back to Bahçeşehir. On Sunday morning, we caught our train at the Edirne Gar and enjoyed pastoral views of the Turkish countryside. I am so happy we were able to take this weekend visit to Edirne, leaving me with an even greater appreciation for the accomplishments of the Ottoman Empire. Up next… a visit to Bursa and Iznik with my aunt Susan!

Delft

November 25, 2023 Posted in Art in Europe, The NetherlandsLeave a comment

During my final weekend in the Netherlands, I was able to meet my good friend Meg for breakfast in Amsterdam. Meg and I taught together in Seoul about a decade ago. She now lives in the Netherlands with her husband and their two beautiful kiddos. We hadn’t seen each other since 2018 but it was like no time had passed. Much love, T-Hayne!

After catching up with Meg, I hopped on a train to my final destination – Delft. A charming town along a canal, it is known as the birthplace of Johannes Vermeer, the Dutch Master of Girl with the Pearl Earring fame. I came for the art (of course) but, more specifically, the ceramics, embedded into the very sidewalks of the city.

The story of delftware began in the early 1600s when the trademark white and blue ceramics became a hot commodity throughout Europe. At the time, the Dutch East India Company was responsible for the import of these 14th-century Chinese porcelain ceramics. As demand grew, the city of Delft set up ceramic production, applying white and cobalt oxide glazes to Chinese porcelain using a technique called “tin-glazed”. The technique gave Delftware the shiny, glossy finish we recognize today. Business boomed from 1640-1740. As the Ming dynasty declined, however, Chinese porcelain exports dried up. The Dutch found local sources of clay and production was entirely centered in Delft.

The Delft Blue Museum is a factory museum, offering self-guided tours through galleries of ceramics and production in the 400-year old factory up close. Above (right), you can see a version of Rembrandt’s The Night Watch, beautifully reproduced on delftware. The museum is a 15-minute walk along the water from the Delft train station – well worth the trip.

After my tour came to a close, I strolled back towards the downtown of Delft. It was Market Day and the streets were brimming with vendors selling fresh produce in their stalls. Considering the late October date, the offerings were colorful and fresh.

After checking into my rented room up in the eaves, I enjoyed an amazing dinner at De Kurk, a farm-to-table restaurant nearby. Possibly one of the best meals I’ve ever had, the greenhouse atmosphere and wonderful service only added to the experience. After dinner, I wandering the lanes of Delft, enjoying the baths of warm light emanating from cheery windows and doorways.

And thus ends the Belgium/Netherlands Art Tour of 2023. I’m back home with this little weirdo (below), in the homestretch until the winter holidays. Hope you have enjoyed this series and I look forward to sharing more from Istanbul with you soon.

The Turquoise Chronicles

Tales of Expat Life in Istanbul

Category: Art in Europe