Atlas of Encounters opens in Istanbul’s historic hammam
The Zeyrek Çinili Hamam in Istanbul, a 16th‑century bath restored by Marmara Group, now hosts Alex Červený’s solo exhibition “Atlas of Encounters.” The venue blends heritage preservation, archaeological discovery, and contemporary art, inviting visitors to experience the layered history of the spac…
By Felo News Desk · Published
The Zeyrek Çinili Hamam, a 16th‑century bath on Istanbul’s Golden Horn, has been transformed into a living museum and contemporary art venue. Since its reopening in 2021, the 32,000‑square‑foot complex has staged exhibitions that weave together its Ottoman heritage, archaeological finds, and modern artistic interventions. The latest showcase, Alex Červený’s solo show “Atlas of Encounters,” runs until January 31, 2027, and marks the artist’s first solo exhibition in Turkey.
From Grand Admiral to Global Gallery
The hammam was commissioned in the 1530s by Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha, the Ottoman naval commander who helped expand the empire’s maritime dominance. He entrusted the design to Mimar Sinan, then a young architect who would later become the sultan’s chief architect. The bath’s name, “Çinili,” meaning “tiled,” reflects its once‑lavish interior, which featured more than 10,000 İznik tiles in 37 unique patterns. Over the centuries the building changed hands, fell into disuse when private plumbing became common, and its tiles were sold abroad in the 19th century. Today, fragments of those historic tiles are displayed in the museum that now occupies part of the complex.
In 2010 Marmara Group, one of Turkey’s leading hospitality conglomerates, acquired the property. Over a 13‑year restoration led by Cengiz Kabaoğlu and KA‑BA Architecture, the team preserved the building’s surviving marble, painted surfaces, and scars rather than attempting to reconstruct lost tiles. The result is a space that feels both ancient and alive, where the past is visible in its worn stones and the present is shaped by contemporary art.
Re‑opening and the Birth of a Cultural Hub
When the hammam reopened in 2021, it was already a venue for art. The first major exhibition, “Healing Ruins,” brought together 22 artists and was staged across the men’s and women’s sections and the newly uncovered Byzantine cistern beneath the bath. The program was designed to let visitors experience the space before it opened as a commercial bath in 2023. Since then, the hammam has hosted two exhibitions a year, despite architectural constraints such as humidity, heat, and the lack of neutral walls.
Artistic director Anlam de Coster selects artists who can converse with the building’s memory and materiality. She describes the hammam as a “temenos,” a sacred sanctuary where social hierarchies dissolve and bodies are free. The cistern below, a hidden space that once stored water for the bath, adds layers of light, darkness, and transformation that resonate with the artists’ work.
Atlas of Encounters: A Dialogue Between Past and Present
Alex Červený’s “Atlas of Encounters” is the first solo exhibition of the Brazilian artist in Turkey. Curated by de Coster, the show occupies both the historic bath and the cistern, juxtaposing contemporary installations with the building’s archaeological layers. Červený’s work, which explores memory, allegory, and the boundary between conscious and unconscious, aligns with the hammam’s symbolic intensity. The exhibition is site‑specific, developed after a research residency in Istanbul that allowed the artist to immerse himself in the space’s history and material traces.
Visitors to the hammam experience a narrative that spans 1,500 years, from the 5th‑century artifacts displayed in the museum to Ottoman bath rituals and 20th‑century social practices. The display of wooden bath sandals, or nalın, illustrates how class distinctions were marked by height and ornamentation. The hammam’s role as a communal space, especially for women, is highlighted through stories of gossip, celebration, and rites of passage that took place within its walls.
Community Engagement and Future Plans
Beyond exhibitions, the hammam offers free public programs: panels on tile dispersal, workshops on scent creation, and neighborhood photography walks. The museum remains free on Thursdays, and a yearly dinner invites local residents to feel the space as part of their community. A research library focused on Sinan, Barbarossa, and the hammam’s history has been added, though it remains underused.
Looking ahead, Marmara Group plans to continue integrating contemporary art with heritage preservation. The team prioritizes international artists who have not yet exhibited solo in Istanbul, providing them with research and production residencies. This approach fosters cultural exchange and encourages artists to expand their practice in response to the hammam’s unique environment.
In sum, the Zeyrek Çinili Hamam stands as a model for how historic buildings can be revitalized through thoughtful restoration, archaeological insight, and contemporary artistic programming. It invites visitors to step into a space where the past and present coalesce, offering a fresh perspective on Istanbul’s layered history.
Key facts
- Marmara Group restored a 16th‑century hammam into a contemporary art venue
- The building’s original İznik tiles were dispersed worldwide, now partially recovered
- Alex Červený’s solo show is the artist’s first in Turkey
- Exhibitions are site‑specific, developed after research residencies
- The hammam offers free community programs and a research library
- The space revitalizes Istanbul’s historic Golden Horn district
Why it matters
The hammam demonstrates how heritage sites can serve as dynamic cultural hubs, blending preservation with contemporary art to engage both local communities and international audiences.
Frequently asked questions
What is the opening date for the current exhibition?
The exhibition runs until January 31, 2027.
Can visitors use the hammam as a bath?
Yes, the hammam reopened as a commercial bath in 2023 while still hosting art exhibitions.
How does the museum preserve the original tiles?
Recovered fragments are displayed in a museum integrated into the complex; the restoration avoided reconstructing missing tiles.
Sources
- [1] observer.com — originally reported as “Contemporary Art Enters Istanbul’s Deep Past at Koza Güreli’s Zeyrek Çinili Hamam”
