Aperçu

Bridging Art Deco: A Hidden Heritage from Istanbul to Brussels — As a Part of the European Heritage Days in Türkiye and Belgium The exhibition “Bridging Art Deco: A Hidden Heritage from Istanbul to Brussels” will highlight, in the context of European Heritage Days, Istanbul’s Art Deco legacy, revealing a unique interpretation of this global movement. It is organized by partnership of Beinsitu Sustainability Institute, DOCOMOMO_Türkiye Working Party, and Yıldız Technical University and associated with the Brussels 2025 theme of Art Deco. The exhibition will take place in Brussels with the support of the Permanent Delegation of Türkiye to the European Union and the Turkish Embassy in Bruxelles between September 19th and October 3rd 2025 . Although the origins of the Art Deco movement can be traced back to Paris, it was widely adopted and applied in many European cities, especially in Brussels. During the same period, Art Deco influence was also seen in İstanbul with unique examples shaped by local culture and dynamics. In Istanbul, Art Deco appears not only as an imported style, but also as an aesthetic adapted to the local architectural memory, intertwined with modernisation, industrialisation and the search for European identity. While Istanbul is often associated with Ottoman and Byzantine heritage, the city’s modernist period including Art Deco left a remarkable modern legacy. It made a lasting mark by blending European influences with local aesthetics and materials. The exhibition will showcase how Istanbul interpreted and embraced Art Deco in a distinctive manner, reflected not only in architecture but also in lifestyle. The buildings, its details and its inventory information will be conveyed through photographs, drawings, texts, collages and creative interpretations. By drawing a cultural bridge between Brussels, the EU capital, and Istanbul, the capital of three empires, the exhibition will contribute to a broader understanding of Art Deco as a dynamic and globally connected movement, inviting audiences to explore its diverse manifestations across different geographies. The exhibition’s language is English. Two guided tours will take place on September 20th , Saturday at 13:00 and 15:00, led by the exhibition’s curators: Ebru Omay Polat, Co-Chair of DOCOMOMO_Türkiye Working Party ; Selin Yıldız , Yıldız Technical University and Asli Ingin, Senior Project Director at the Beinsitu Sustainability Institute. The tours will introduce participants to Istanbul’s Art Deco heritage while offering insights into the research and creative processes behind the exhibition. Photography is only permitted in the exhibition space and is not allowed in the rest of the building.

Practical information

Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00

Permanent Delegation of Türkiye to the European Union, avenue des Arts 36, 1000 Brussels

Advance booking not required.

Accessible

Address
Permanent Delegation of Türkiye to the European Union, avenue des Arts 36, 1000 Brussels