{"id":54,"date":"2025-01-01T04:44:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-01T04:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/konte.uix.store\/?p=54"},"modified":"2026-10-18T20:44:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T20:44:04","slug":"a-gathering-of-world-renowned-antique-carpet-collectors-in-istanbul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kalaconsultancy.com\/tr\/a-gathering-of-world-renowned-antique-carpet-collectors-in-istanbul\/","title":{"rendered":"A Gathering of World- Renowned Antique Carpet Collectors in Istanbul"},"content":{"rendered":"

Director of ICOC XV, Serra Oru\u00e7 offers an overview of the four-day event in June 2024, from the extensive talk programme to the impressive exhibitions and the dealers\u2019 fair<\/big>

Text : Serra Oru\u00e7<\/big><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Istanbul proudly hosted the International Conference on Oriental Carpets (ICOC) for the second time after 2007. Organised by the Istanbul Carpet Exporters\u2019 Association (\u0130H\u0130B), with the support of the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and sponsored by the Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters\u2019 Association (\u0130TH\u0130B) and Arkas Sanat Bornova, the 15th International Conference on Oriental Carpets (ICOC Istanbul) took place at the Marmara Hotel Taksim between 6-9 June 2024. The conference brought together world-renowned carpet, kilim, and textile experts, art historians, academics, dealers and collectors. Many of the hidden gems in both museum and private collections were on display for the first time in history. The theme of the 15th ICOC was Oriental Carpet Studies 2024: The Past and Future of Carpet Weaving and Collecting\u2019 focusing on two main areas: \u2018Historical Carpets and Textiles\u2019 and \u2018Contemporary Art, Design and New Production\u2019. \u0130H\u0130B was humbly delighted to contribute to both the academic environment and the industry. Local Committee Ahmet Diler, Muhammet Solak, Ali R\u0131za Tuna, Alberto Boralevi, Ziya Bozo\u011flu and myself had put together tremendous efforts to make this event happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The opening reception of the dealer\u2019s fair at the Marmara Hotel Taksim<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Serra Oru\u00e7 speaking at the ICOC XV opening gala<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Ay\u015fe Fazl\u0131o\u011flu, researcher from the National Palaces<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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A dealers\u2019 fair stand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Four hundred visitors from over 20 different countries showed us one more time that the interest towards this art never fades away. Tu\u0308rkiye, as the homeland of weaving, always attracts rug enthusiasts, old friends as well as new names. Being the director of the event, I personally believed a visitor coming for the event always had a lot to discover not only in \u0130stanbul but also in Anatolia. Tu\u0308rkiye offers a wide variety of museum collections and fields for new studies. One can still encounter female weavers who passionately continue the tradition and new archaeological findings that can reshape the history of weaving. As part of this organisation, Konya Ethnography Museum and the newly opened historical Mattheys Mansion that is home to the Arkas Carpet Collection, were both open to visitors. Another substantial effort was made by the Mayor of Sultanhan\u0131, who put together an exhibition of Central Anatolia kilims at the renowned 13th century Caravanserai of Sultanhan\u0131. The historical pieces in both public and private collections are proof that Tu\u0308rkiye continues to be the homeland of the tradition of weaving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the conference, the Marmara Hotel Taksim hosted two exhibitions that focused on the future stories of the weaving tradition, \u0130TH\u0130B\u2019s \u201cWeaving Atlas\u201d and \u201cWomen Behind the Weave\u201d displays. The \u201cWeaving Atlas\u201d project visited every city in Tu\u0308rkiye attributed to weaving and worked on contemporary designs with century old techniques. \u201cWomen Behind the Weave\u201d returning to its homeland after its launching in London was critical to meet with new viewers. Organised by London-based rug brand Christopher Farr, the 14 kilims that are woven by women in an atelier in U\u015fak first launched in London, in September 2023. The proceeds from the exhibited kilims will be used to establish a weaving workshop in Hatay, one of the areas most affected by the earthquakes on 6 February 2023. Christopher Farr founder Matthew Bourne also joined the event to share the story of the project with participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jason Nazmiyal from New York looking at Gallery Aydin\u2019s offerings<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The busy stand of Istanbul dealer Seref Ozen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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A rare Tekke Turkmen bird asmalyk, a Salor Turkmen Memling gul torba and an 18th century Ottoman embroidery on the stand of Amin Motamedi from Hamburg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Irina Bogoslovskaya gives her talk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In addition to this events, the Marmara Hotel Taksim was also home to the antique rug dealers all around the world. A smaller version of the Grand Bazaar was housed in the ballroom of the hotel. The dealers demonstrated their great passion for finding unique pieces that the visiting collectors and experts were keen to see in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carpet, kilim, and textile experts and collectors gathered<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The opening speech of the ICOC Istanbul Conference delivered by Prof. Walter Denny, an expert on Islamic art and Middle East history. Afterwards he shared his observations on recent history, the present and also the future of carpet studies. During the sessions on 7-8 June, leading academics and experts in the field presented papers on the history, present, and future of textile art. The papers, categorised by geographical origin, covered topics such as structural analysis, technique, design, production, origin, dating, documented evidence, scientific tests, collections\/ collectors, fake\/replica productions, conservation, and restoration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previous editions of the ICOC conference predominantly focused on a specific timeline, which usually left out a focus on ancient history and looking to the future. We should be searching for different ways to sustain this culture and attract new audiences. With this perspective in mind, the sessions \u201cArcheology of Weavings\u201d that were moderated by Udo Hirsch garnered great attention. Collectors are interested in archaeological findings and are eager to learn more about a historical context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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IHIB Board member and Istanbul dealer Muhammet Bozdag with a client<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Kenneth Hayes delivers his important new research<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The sessions moderated by Reyhan Polat also demonstrated that there is a new generation looking for ways to sustain this culture by the means of technology. One has to ask, is it really enough? For centuries, carpets have been a symbol of status. A designer today is bombarded with new trends and technologies; generating an AI designed carpet won\u2019t be enough to attract a younger generation. However, it is important that new design addresses the centuriesold idea that owning a carpet is a symbol of being a person of high social status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ancient carpets in the palace, contemporary textiles in the gallery<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The 15th edition programme of the International Conference on Oriental Carpets included major exhibitions at the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, Dolmabah\u00e7e Palace Art Gallery, and Tophane-i Amire, as well as a pop-up exhibition by artist Belk\u0131s Balp\u0131nar at the Anna Laudel Gallery, a selection from the Josephine Powell collection at the VKV Bu\u0308yu\u0308kdere Evi, and works from the collections of Anas Al Akhoann and Sandre Blake at the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition \u201cWoven Treasures: Carpets and Fabrics from the Ottoman Palace\u201d at Dolmabah\u00e7e Palace Art Gallery presented carpets and textiles from the palace collections for the first time within this historical context. Additionally, original hand-drawn and coloured cartoons were displayed to explore the beauty of the palace collections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition \u201cColors of Anatolia: Kilims from Private Collections\u201d at Tophane-i Amire showcased kilims from mainly Turkish collectors. Playing a significant role in reflecting the value given to kilims by private collectors in Tu\u0308rkiye and encouraging new collectors, this exhibition featured works borrowed from many collectors, including Ali R\u0131za Tuna, I\u015f\u0131l Akbaygil, Peter Scholten, Thomas Herr, Tim Hayes, the Turkish Handicraft Foundation and Ziya Bozo\u011flu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oral history of Anatolia: carpets, kilims, textiles<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition \u201cTurkish Carpets: The Art Knotted With Love\u201d featured a selection of more than 30 works from the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum collection dating from the 13th to the 17th century. The show provided a new dialogue space for carpet experts and enthusiasts. Most of the pieces to be shown the first time and many scholars spend hours exploring new details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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IHIB and ICOC Executive Boards members, \u0130brahim Geyiko\u011flu, Serra Oru\u00e7, Alberto Boralevi, Mu\u0308jde Unustas\u0131, Cengiz Karabulut, Ahmet Diler, Mustafa Kayhan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The dealer\u2019s fair<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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IHIB chairman Ahmet Diler opens the dealers\u2019 fair<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Ali Ayd\u0131n from Maryland, USA with some clients on his stand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition \u201cSyrian and Lebanese Textiles of the Ottoman Era\u201d at the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum Hypodrome Hall featured items borrowed from the Anas Al Akhoann and Sandre Blake collection, including embroidered prayer rugs, examples of period clothing, pillowcases, and tablecloths. The exhibition showcases the skills, arts, and expertise of weavers in Syria, Beirut, Aleppo, Damascus, and surrounding areas from 1850 to 1930.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Josephine Powell revisited<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition \u201cJosephine Powell Collection: Anatolian Kilims and Weaving Tools\u201d at the Vehbi Ko\u00e7 Foundation Bu\u0308yu\u0308kdere Evi featured valuable textile images and records spanning a cultural geography from Central Asia to Tu\u0308rkiye. Consisting of 34 kilims and 184 weaving tools, the collection was displayed on an elevator platform suspended from the ceiling. Originally on show several years ago, this exhibition was reopened for the audience during the 15th International Conference on Oriental Carpets, much to the delight of all the visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pop-up exhibition by Belk\u0131s Balp\u0131nar<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition at the Anna Laudel Gallery in Gu\u0308mu\u0308\u015fsuyu bears the signature of Belk\u0131s Balp\u0131nar. As a pioneer in the field of textile arts, internationally acclaimed artist Belk\u0131s Balp\u0131nar distinguishes herself through her innovative and unconventional weaving techniques. The exhibition \u201cShifting Perspectives\u201d served as a bright showcase of her artistic mastery, in which she artfully weaves science and cosmology together \u2013 drawing inspiration from Einstein\u2019s theory of relativity. Coinciding with the opening of this show with the \u201cColors of Anatolia\u201d at Tophane-i Amire, this exhibition reminded the ICOC visitors that the weaving tradition continues in different art form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robert Pinner founded ICOC almost 50 years ago to increase awareness of textiles in collections. I believe ICOC XV paid tribute to Robert Pinner by offering a unique experience to the world\u2019s rug enthusiasts. ICOC XV provided the opportunity to be fully immersion in Anatolia\u2019s weaving culture. In order to start fresh dialogues and bridge the past and future of oriental carpets, we need to focus on discussions about the future of tradition at events such as ICOC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source:<\/strong>\u00a0ALIVE: \u0130H\u0130B\u2019s Magazine of Anatolian Rugs and Kilims, January 2025, pp. 73-77.<\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Director of ICOC XV, Serra Oru\u00e7 offers an overview of the four-day event in June 2024, from the extensive talk programme to the impressive exhibitions and the dealers\u2019 fairText :…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3964,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[119],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alive-january-2025"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kalaconsultancy.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kalaconsultancy.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kalaconsultancy.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kalaconsultancy.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kalaconsultancy.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/kalaconsultancy.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3995,"href":"https:\/\/kalaconsultancy.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54\/revisions\/3995"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kalaconsultancy.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kalaconsultancy.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kalaconsultancy.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kalaconsultancy.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}