The Türkiye Textile Biennial has opened for its second edition, inviting artists and visitors to explore the deep connection between textiles and water. Curated by Nihat Özdal, this year’s theme, “Wave Fabric,” is being exhibited across historic sites in Antalya. The biennial will run until 13 April 2025.
Taking place from 22 February to 13 April, the biennial is supported by the Gazipaşa District Governorship and is being staged in various historical venues 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 excessive water consumption in 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 at the Anatolian Speleology Group Association (ASPEG), who studies caves from both an artistic and geological perspective.
Reflecting on her first exhibition in a cave, she shared: “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.”
Other artists exhibiting at the biennial include Thomas Jackson (USA) and Diana Orving (Sweden).
Jackson described his work: “What I love to do is take human-made materials, place them in natural landscapes, and make them mimic nature,” while Orving commented: “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.
