The Türkiye Textile Biennial has returned for its second edition, transforming historical venues across Antalya into creative hubs. Curated by Nihat Özdal, this year’s theme, “Wave Fabric,” highlights the intricate relationship between water and textiles. The exhibition is open to visitors until 13 April 2025.
Running from 22 February to 13 April, the biennial is organised by the Gazipaşa District Governorship and takes place across key historic locations in Gazipaşa and Alanya. Featured venues include 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 significant environmental impact of textile production, 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 participating artists is Özge Kahraman, a researcher at the Anatolian Speleology Group Association (ASPEG), who studies the historical and aesthetic aspects of caves.
Exhibiting her artwork in a cave for the first time, Kahraman described her experience: “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 featured in the biennial are American artist Thomas Jackson and Swedish textile designer Diana Orving.
Jackson explained his creative process: “What I love to do is take human-made materials, place them in natural landscapes, and make them mimic nature,” while Orving stated: “The themes I explore are based on transformation, movement, and the flow of nature.”
The Second Türkiye Textile Biennial will remain open to the public until 13 April 2025.
