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This summer, there is an art exhibition that will visitors on a captivating journey through the country’s cultural heritage. Running from May 10th to June 30th at Anna Laudel Istanbul, the highly-anticipated “Underneath The Stones; Moment and Archive” exhibition by multidisciplinary artist Tuğçe Diri promises an immersive exploration of Turkey’s rich creative expressions.

What the Approach?

Diri’s artistic approach interweaves surreal imagery with natural materials. The materials – traditional Turkish crafts like textiles, tilework, and architecture. Using oil, acrylic, lace, thread, and collage techniques, her emotionally-charged yet abstract compositions seamlessly blend colour, texture, and cultural symbolism.

At its core, the exhibition evokes “vanished environments and cultural heritage,” as Diri recontextualizes architectural forms through  abstract art. Her innovative use of the frottage technique – recreating and erasing patterns through rubbing – transforms physical spaces into compelling new narratives woven from memory’s lingering traces.

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Architectural Icons Reimagined

Among the inspirations are some of Istanbul’s most iconic structures, their evolving stone textures a metaphor for the city’s shape-shifting identity. The ancient Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, once a Byzantine basilica and later an Ottoman mosque, lends its history to Diri’s canvases. The contemporary Ataturk Cultural Center (AKM) represents modern heritage, while the Arab Mosque and Molla Zeyrek Mosque contribute their traditional essence.

“This series is an effort to evoke vanished environments and cultural heritage. The rediscovery of the balance between power and architecture, remembrance and loss,” Diri explains. Her compositions  challenge viewers to look beyond the city’s surface.

A Canvas of Past and Present

In simple yet profound strokes, “Underneath The Stones; Moment and Archive” crafts a narrative where Istanbul’s past and present intertwine. Visitors are pushed to contemplate the relationships between built environments and cultural identity in Diri’s research-driven abstractions.

As this breathtaking exhibition unfurls at Anna Laudel Istanbul, art enthusiasts and travellers alike are invited to immerse themselves in Tugce Diri’s visionary realm, where the city’s memories are reimagined, and its evolving soul is tenderly unveiled.