Istanbul’s iconic landmarks illuminate with digital art

ISTANBUL

As part of the Istanbul Culture Route Festival, coordinated by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, mapping shows are meeting art enthusiasts. The shows at Galata Tower, Maiden’s Tower and Tophane Fountain can be viewed daily from 8 p.m. to midnight until Oct. 5.

Curated by İsmail Erdoğan, the shows are prepared by art historian and digital artist Hakan Yılmaz. The music for the performances is composed by Gürcan Ersoy. Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Yılmaz said that “Galata Dreams” at Galata Tower premiered at the festival and was presented to the audience for the first time.

In “Galata Dreams,” the iconic characters of miniature artists who served in the Ottoman imperial atelier from the 11th to the 17th century are brought together in a single narrative.

“Works by Mehmed Siyah Kalem, Levni and Veli Can unfold in one universe to tell a contemporary story. Levni’s female characters participate in the festival inside Maiden’s Tower and have a very fun time. Veli Can’s dragon hears them and approaches the tower, curious about what is happening. The women, noticing this, are scared and then turn to a wise woman. The wise woman calls an old friend, who in our story is a figure by Mehmed Siyah Kalem and acts as a mediator. The dragon and the other characters interact, revealing that its intention is not harmful; it also wants to dance at the Culture Route Festival. Afterwards, they enjoy fun moments together by the tower with the other characters,” Yılmaz explained.

“Galata Dreams” is approximately eight minutes long and is shown 30 times daily. Yılmaz also noted that “The Dream of Conquest” at Maiden’s Tower premiered for the first time at the festival.

“The Dream of Conquest” depicts the cultural richness emerging in Istanbul after its conquest, Yılmaz said, adding, “Of course, the extraordinary effort during the conquest process is also shown in the video. There is a second work on this theme, completed last year, and this year we re-released it due to high demand. At Tophane Fountain, our ‘Light of Victory’ project has a similar story to that of Maiden’s Tower. The video begins by showing Istanbul’s derelict state under Byzantine rule and highlights the socio-cultural richness after the conquest. I am grateful to the ministry’s team for the opportunities granted for each work,” he expressed.

Curator İsmail Erdoğan stated that “Galata Dreams” places miniature art at the center, combining the immortal characters of Mehmed Siyah Kalem, Levni and Veli Can into a joyful narrative that expresses the ancient heritage through the language of the digital age.

Regarding “Light of Victory” at Tophane Fountain, Erdoğan said the work focuses on Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s intellectual and artistic sides: “We depict Fatih’s notebooks, period decorations, miniatures, the ruined city before him and the revival of Istanbul after the conquest, covering restoration, art activities and intellectual initiatives. We digitized all available material, such as wall paintings and book illustrations, creating a work designed as a tribute to Fatih Sultan Mehmet and the conquest of Istanbul.”

About “The Dream of Conquest” at Maiden’s Tower, Erdoğan explained: “Üsküdar is considered the city where the conquest is dreamt. It is where Fatih established his camp, then within Üsküdar’s boundaries. Based on this, we wanted to depict Istanbul’s conquest at Maiden’s Tower, using our traditional patterns.”

He added that AI was used to make Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s portrait gaze directly at the audience.

“The show includes conquest scenes: Ships being carried overland, cannon fire breaking the walls, Ulubatlı Hasan planting the flag on the walls and Fausto Zonaro’s famous painting of Fatih entering Istanbul. The conquest concludes with these depictions, followed by scenes of Istanbul’s socio-cultural and intellectual life after the conquest. We finished with a grand finale using our magnificent traditional patterns,” he said.