The Türkiye Textile Biennial has returned for its second edition, bringing together international artists in historic venues across Antalya. Under the curation of Nihat Özdal, this year’s theme, “Wave Fabric,” delves into the intersection of water and textiles. The biennial will run until 13 April 2025.
Taking place from 22 February to 13 April, the biennial is hosted by the Gazipaşa District Governorship and spans several historic sites in 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 spoke about the textile industry’s significant water consumption, 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”
Artist Özge Kahraman, a researcher at the Anatolian Speleology Group Association (ASPEG), examines the physical and artistic structure of caves.
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.”
The biennial also features work from Thomas Jackson (USA) and Diana Orving (Sweden).
Jackson remarked: “What I love to do is take human-made materials, place them in natural landscapes, and make them mimic nature,” while Orving added: “The themes I explore are based on transformation, movement, and the flow of nature.”
The Second Türkiye Textile Biennial remains open until 13 April 2025.
