The second edition of the Türkiye Textile Biennial is now open, inviting visitors to explore the relationship between textiles and water. Under the theme “Wave Fabric,” curated by Nihat Özdal, the exhibition is being held in historic locations across Antalya. The biennial continues until 13 April 2025.
Running from 22 February to 13 April, the biennial is organised by the Gazipaşa District Governorship and features exhibitions in several historical sites across Gazipaşa and Alanya, including the Ancient Cities of Selinus and Lamos, Yalan Dünya Cave, the Red Tower, Alanya Shipyard, and the Ancient City of Syedra.
“Textile industry uses 93 billion cubic metres of water annually”
Curator Nihat Özdal highlighted the environmental challenges posed by the textile industry, stating: “93 billion cubic metres of water are used in the textile industry worldwide each year. It takes 10,000 cubic metres of water for a pair of jeans and 2,500 cubic metres for a cotton t-shirt. 20% of global water pollution comes from textiles, and approximately 100 billion new textile products are introduced to the market every year.”
“Sharing my art where it belongs is an incredible experience”
Among the featured artists is Özge Kahraman, a researcher with the Anatolian Speleology Group Association (ASPEG), who studies the historical and artistic aspects of caves.
Sharing her thoughts on exhibiting her work inside a cave for the first time, she said: “Thanks to the biennial, this dream of mine came true, and my works met with the audience in ‘Yalan Dünya’ Cave. Until now, as someone who explored caves, I always looked from the outside, but this time the cave itself was part of the exhibition. It’s difficult to describe the atmosphere—sharing my art with viewers in the place where I feel it most belongs was an unforgettable experience.”
Also participating in the biennial are Thomas Jackson (USA) and Diana Orving (Sweden).
Jackson explained: “What I love to do is take human-made materials, place them in natural landscapes, and make them mimic nature,” while Orving noted: “The themes I explore are based on transformation, movement, and the flow of nature.”
The Second Türkiye Textile Biennial is open to visitors until 13 April 2025.