Between 17 September and 20 November, we stroll around <a fr-original-style="" href="https://apos.to/i/soli-is-at-17th-istanbul-biennial-balat" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; text-decoration-skip: objects; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Balat</a>, <a fr-original-style="" href="https://apos.to/i/soli-is-at-17th-istanbul-biennial-cemberlitas" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; text-decoration-skip: objects; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Çemberlitaş</a>, <a fr-original-style="" href="https://apos.to/i/soli-is-at-17th-istanbul-biennial-siraselviler" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; text-decoration-skip: objects; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Sıraselviler</a>, <a fr-original-style="" href="https://apos.to/i/soli-is-at-17th-istanbul-biennial-tophane" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; text-decoration-skip: objects; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Tophane</a>, <a fr-original-style="" href="https://apos.to/i/soli-is-at-17th-istanbul-biennial-yeldegirmeni" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; text-decoration-skip: objects; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Yeldeğirmeni</a>, and <a fr-original-style="" href="https://apos.to/i/soli-is-at-17th-istanbul-biennial-zeytinburnu" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; text-decoration-skip: objects; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Zeytinburnu</a> for the 17th Istanbul Biennial. This year’s Biennial takes its inspiration from compost, a natural fertilisation method in which many different organic wastes are brought together and decomposed. We stroll around these neighbourhoods one more time, but this time for the Biennial, we enter streets we frequent less and peek through the doors of the buildings whose names we have just heard of. This time, we let our eyes roam over the city we are native to, like travellers. When our feet get tired, but not our minds, we catch our breath in a café where locals sit. It is the curiosity that makes our feet stand back up again. We feel homely and then unhomely again. We swing around the authentic and the cliché, the old and the new, the traditional and the modern, the nostalgic and the futuristic, between the black and the white of the 6 neighbourhoods where the 17th Istanbul Biennial is spread.&nbsp;‘Can the streets be audible and/or silent narrators of the neighbourhood at the same time?’. This question is on our minds as we traverse the streets again and again. We continue on our route through artisan and artist workshops, streets, parks, restaurants, shops, and cultural centres to better understand and read the neighbourhoods and become a participant in their everyday culture.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/8/0/1662898226429.jpeg" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="0.81" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Tag along, we are hanging out in Yeldeğirmeni<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom-style: none; clear: both; -webkit-user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">Today, we started walking from the <a fr-original-style="" href="https://muzegazhane.istanbul" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; text-decoration-skip: objects; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Museum Gazhane</a> in Hasanpaşa, and the road will take us to <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.arthereistanbul.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; text-decoration-skip: objects; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">arthereistanbul</a>, where many stories, voices, and conversations will intertwine. In between, we will explore the multicultural, colourful, and cat-filled Yeldeğirmeni.Follow us,Soli team

<h1 fr-original-style="" style="font-size: 2em; margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;"><a fr-original-style="" href="https://bit.ly/3Dzet0f?utm_source=aposto" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Koç Holding</a>&nbsp;welcomes art enthusiasts to the 17th Istanbul Biennial</h1> Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) since 1987 and sponsored by Koç Holding since 2007, the 17th edition of the&nbsp;Istanbul Biennial has opened its doors to the public eye.The Biennial, which will be open to public visit until 20 November, is prepared with a different approach in this edition due to the pandemic precautions as well as its one-year delay.The 17th Istanbul Biennial meets its viewers in various <a fr-original-style="" href="https://bienal.iksv.org/tr/17-istanbul-bienali/mekanlar?utm_source=aposto" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">spots</a> of the city such as bookstores, hospitals, nursing homes, cafes, metro stations, and Açık Radyo.&nbsp;An avid supporter of culture and arts, Koç Holding is happy to sponsor the Istanbul Biennial by 2036. To find the short film focusing on the healing and transformative qualities of art, you may visit <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQsmVol36bI&ab_channel=Ko%C3%A7Holding&utm_source=aposto" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">this link.</a>&nbsp;

18 Eylül - Koç Holding x İstanbul Bienali - Soli ing

We bumped into acquaintances at Küff, walked at Uzun Hafız Street while the sun was setting in Yeldeğirmeni.


Yeldeğirmeni route from Museum Gazhane to arthereistanbul

THE ROUTE

While ambling the streets of Yeldeğirmeni, we stop by arthereistanbul, one of the 17th Istanbul Biennial venues, to see Omar Berakdar, its founder. We want to talk to him about the neighbourhood and arthereistanbul’s presence in it. Here is the story of his neighbourhood and why arthereistanbul is located here; &nbsp;Yeldeğirmeni from Omar's words and perspective.Writer:&nbsp;<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.arthereistanbul.com/omarberakdar?utm_source=aposto" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Omar Berakdar</a>Think of a neighbourhood that is both in the heart of the city, easy to reach, and secluded, away from the crowds of touristic areas. For us, this kind of unique hub is called Yeldeğirmeni. This district has a deep-seated history. First of all, many ancient structures such as Greek-style buildings are present here. Moreover, it is a neighborhood that is not still not cladded by the skyscrapers.&nbsp;<img lazy="loading" src="https://images.aposto.com/1200xauto/2022/8/1/1664208456089.jpeg" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="0.67" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Omar in arthereistanbul<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">Yeldeğirmeni was a neighbourdhood that was in disfavor much around 2007. Because of the bars and abandoned buildings around the hood, the area seemed dangerous, hence the rent, and living costs were cheaper. And, of course, this reasonable lifestyle has made Yeldeğirmeni an artist center, just like everywhere else in the world. The artists came and started renting shops, turning them into studios, and settling down here.You may think that the stores are closed when you go around for a walk, but in fact, behind those shutters, art studios remain. All rental places in Yeldeğirmeni are artist studios candidates. When we came here for the first time, we were mesmerized by the atmosphere and the first thing that came to our mind was that this area needed a public art institution. A place where everyone could contribute, sit, talk and share. As such, arthereistanbul's story began.

Yeldeğirmeni is a mysterious place where you can find art in every corner. Here is Omar's neighbourhood.  

Easy to reach, and secluded, away from the crowds

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<img lazy="loading" src="https://images.aposto.com/1200xauto/2022/8/0/1662903483782.jpeg" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="0.67" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Rumour has it that the best simitçi (bagel shop) is in Yeldeğirmeni. If you ask us, which shop is the best is likely to change every three months, as simitçis change their sesame supplier. But still, just to call out a particular place, Yeldeğirmeni Tarihî Taşfırın is our one and only.<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">

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Istanbul based urban culture magazine documenting cities through their neighborhoods and communities. 

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6 neighbourhoods to host the 17th Istanbul Biennial: Balat, Çemberlitaş, Sıraselviler, Tophane, Yeldeğirmeni, and Zeytinburnu. We are wandering the city we live in as travellers. Today the route takes us to Yeldeğirmeni