Türkiye Textile Biennial Examines the Interplay Between Water and Fabric
The Türkiye Textile Biennial has returned for its second edition, celebrating the intersection of water and textiles through artistic expression. Curated by Nihat Özdal, this year’s theme “Wave Fabric” brings a compelling discussion to historic venues in Antalya. The event is open until 13 April 2025.
Running from 22 February to 13 April, the biennial is supported by the Gazipaşa District Governorship and is set in prominent historical sites across Gazipaşa and Alanya. Among these are 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 shed light on the substantial water consumption of the textile sector, 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”
One of the participating artists, Özge Kahraman, is an expert in cave research through her work with the Anatolian Speleology Group Association (ASPEG).
For the first time, she displayed her works inside a cave and reflected: “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 the work of Thomas Jackson from the USA and Diana Orving from Sweden.
Jackson explained his artistic vision: “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 remains open for visitors until 13 April 2025.