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CONFERENCES

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ICOC

BRINGING OUT THE BIG GUNS

The time honoured tradition of members of the local rug and textile community hosting an exhibition of its best pieces for the ICOC has added relevance in Istanbul and Turkey as a whole since it provides a window for visitors into a little known world as well as an understanding of the foundations on which the legacy of the conference will be built.

PRIVATELY OWNED RUGS AND TEXTILES will play a leading role in the ICOC schedule when the ‘Private Collections’ exhibition opens with an afternoon reception on Thursday 19 April in the Tophane-i Amire. The Tophane was built in the 15th century, when it was the most important cannon foundry in the Ottoman Empire. The current building is an early 19th century structure that remained

under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence until 1992, when it was transferred to Mimar Sinan University and began a new life as a venue for exhibitions, receptions and other events. Its voluminous 1,000 square metre interior and high ceilings should prove an ideal setting for the 180 pieces that comprise the exhibition. The largest part will be given over to approximately twenty

Turkish carpets and sixty Anatolian kilims (the latter being the area in which the exhibition is likely to be strongest, and which we believe will be one of the great revelations of the conference) and 77 yastiks (some of which rather strangely are from American collections), as well as items of Ottoman folk costume, 17th century Ottoman embroideries, çatmasand the odd suzani.

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