‘Istanbul Sanatları Çarşısı (Bazaar of Istanbul Arts), a Touring undertaking; is one of the important places with its historical texture dating back to 18th century Ottoman architecture which survived until the present day. It is home to old masters of Turkish-Islamic crafts, who are, now, so small in number, and young artists as well as their unrivaled works, each of which is prepared with great meticulousness.’ (source: https://istanbulsanatlaricarsisi.com.tr/en/)
These are the opening lines of Bazaar of Istanbul Arts’ website. The Bazaar was created by Çelik Gülersoy who was a lover of Istanbul. It was one of my most favourite spots in Sultanahmet among the chaos and the ‘kitschiness’ of ‘modern’ tourism that turned everything into a parody. I loved sipping a cup of Turkish coffee inside the tranquil garden of the Bazaar of Istanbul Arts which was an Ottoman School (Medrese) in the 18th century. I loved visiting the shops that displayed unique pieces of traditional arts from miniature to calligraphy, from water marbling to tiles and dolls.
Artists had their own studios inside the Ottoman Medrese that surrounded the garden overlooking the beautiful trees and an old Ottoman fountain. You could watch them produce their unique pieces of art and talk to them about their masterpieces. These artists are the last remaining producers of these traditional arts and crafts.
At my recent visit, I realised that all stores had been emptied and the garden’s door was locked. Çelik Gülersoy’s last legacy has been destroyed for ever. It is so sad to see the last remaining piece of Mr. Gülersoy’s legacy vanish so silently. I fear that the stores and the beautiful garden complex will be inhabited with people, object and a mentality that do not belong there!
But let me leave a note to history. Çelik Gülersoy had done an exceptional job in creating a space for the traditional arts and a home for the last remaining artists to produce for today’s world and to pass on the tradition to the newer generations. He and his legacy deserve to be remembered!
