CURATORS

Ebru Esra Satıcı, Şeyda Çetin

Setting its focus on representations of Istanbul produced over various periods and literary genres from the 16th century to the present day, The Story Unfolds in Istanbul features images of Istanbul that appear in works of Western literature, from fantastical stories to graphic novels, and from science fiction to spy thrillers. The selection of exhibits, centred around some 300 books from the Ömer Koç Collection, showcases autograph manuscripts, first editions, and volumes signed and inscribed by their authors, accompanied by various artefacts, including engravings, paintings, film clips, posters from a range of sources, published Turkish translations and newspaper cuttings. The exhibition is curated by Ebru Esra Satıcı and Şeyda Çetin.

Summoning different representations of Istanbul, the exhibition encourages visitors to examine how the city has been used as a backdrop, while exploring how its inhabitants, historical events and culture have inspired literature, and how these representations have been manifested in other creative fields. Highlighting the fluidity among literary genres, similarities and contrasts between representations, as well as continuities and ruptures within them, the exhibition suggests questioning assumed dichotomies such as past and present, fiction and reality, and East and West.