Interdisciplinary. Community. Advocacy. Humor.
Friday morning, I set off early to cross the Bosphorous and set foot in the Asian continent, the "Asian side" of Istanbul. The weather was clear and warm, by far the nicest of the week, and I boarded the ferry to Kadikoy.
The journey takes around 20 minutes and I wasn't quite ready for the actual difference between the east and west sides of the city. The eastern side seems much more laid-back, much less crowded than the west, though the driving is just as bad!
Waiting to meet Umut and Ufuk, I wandered around the area of the ferry terminal, exploring the many derelict buildings there.
After we ate breakfast in a lovely open-air restaurant, we headed to Umut's flat so that I could see her workshop-gallery space and see the rabbit her father made for her last month. She was unsure about why he had a moustache and when she asked her father, he told her, "It makes it more masculine".
The gallery and workshop space in the flat is given over to the work of both Umut and her husband, James (Thurman) and there are loads of exciting experiments, half-finished projects and completed work by them both, as well as works by their friends, both local and international. At the moment, Umut and James are working with two other artists on a collaborative project which sees elements being passed between all four parties to make single completed pieces in which each artist has a distinct contribution. I was very taken with the one completed piece which I saw as it appears to be a unified item with no hint of any disconnect in vision between the contributors. I have no pictures of this work, but am sure that Umut will post some soon.
After this, we met up with Ufuk again and headed off for lunch in a bustling area of food shops and stalls.
Returning to the European side of the city, we returned to the Grand Bazaar to explore the hans (khan) or the little trading centres which operate around the area, generally away from the busy sections of the bazaar. Hidden away from the general view, up steep stone staircases, generally arranged around a central courtyard, these places are home to many workshops of all sorts.
As before, we heard the "tap tap tap" of the chasing hammer and went into a tiny doorway to find two men discussing a piece of work. Much to my surprise one of them - who turned out to be the head of the "Jewellers' Chambers", a local trade organisation - recognised me from one of the magazines which had featured my exhibition, which was both surprising and really satisfying.
The silversmith was working on decorating a traditional silver jug.
In another workshop, we met with a spinner. He was keen to show us finished product rather than the process, which I would rather have seen.
In some ways, this visit to the hans was the highlight of the week in Istanbul, especially when Ufuk wrangled us access to the roof of one of the hans...
On the roof, we found a collapsing room...
And in the collapsing room, we found a fantastic, corroded loom with fabric still on it.
Needless to say, quite a lot of this loom came back with me!
Back inside again, Ufuk took some excellent photographs of me and Umut in a saintly style:
After this, we returned to the gallery for dinner with Ayse and her friends.
We met up with Ufuk in a pub afterwards and took a taxi back to the hotel, quite the most terrifying ride of the visit, a journey so frightening that Umut and Ufuk got out of the taxi at the hotel and took another one!
With heavy heart, I packed my things away, ready for the shuttle to the airport and a return to an icy UK, leaving my friends in the warm - in all senses of the word - city that I quickly came to love.
Comment
I have to ask, do you know why the loom was left there? From what I can see, it looks as if it was a very valuable loom at one time, and provided for a family. It also looks as if it was kept in a family business for many years, and as if someone would have rescued it long before now, and repaired if they could have. That loom has a story.
I would love to have taken more of it but there is a limit to what can be carried on a plane!
Oh wow, I had to pin the loom right away. I am, well was, a weaver, and still have a small loom. Calling to me from its storage place.
This trip looks like it was marvelous. Have you made anything with the loom pieces yet?
It was amazing, James. Everyone told me it would be, so I was prepared to be a little disappointed. Of course, I wasn't at all disappointed. Umut (and Ufuk, Ayse, Hrac and everyone else) made it really special. I can't wait to go back!
Thank you so much for sharing all of your thoughts and observations while in Istanbul. It's wonderful to see another person's view, both personally and professionally. Each person notices different aspects through a different personal lens...
Thanks, Umut. I miss you all, miss the food and the warm weather too! Thanks again for making that the most wonderful week.
Lovely post! We miss you!
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