Istanbul’s Seaside Leisure: Nostalgia from Sea Baths to Beaches
PERA MUSEUM and the Istanbul Research Institute present are now running the “Istanbul’s Seaside Leisure: Nostalgia from Sea Baths to Beaches” exhibition, which focuses on the significant cultural and social transformation that took place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Istanbul through the city’s multifaceted and unique coastal culture.
“Istanbul’s Seaside Leisure” includes photographs, magazines, comics, objects and books from various private and institutional collections from Turkey, and tells a story while addressing the change and socialization of norms of how Istanbulites used their free time, especially following the turn of the centu- ry. Curated by historian, writer and academic Zafer Toprak, it is a documentary testament of the radical transformations in people’s lifestyles in the Republic. Celebrating its 10th year, the Istanbul Research Institute also features an extension of the exhibition in its gallery space.
World War I critically shaped and transformed Ottoman society’s relationship with the sea. Swimming in the sea - regarded as something to be done in a private - was considered wrong and even illegal for a long period. Despite the progressive influence of the West, during the second half of the 19th century, inhabitants in a coastal city like Istanbul had to make do with sea baths enclosed with wooden panels. As secularism was embraced with the founding of the Republic, a sense of individuality grew visible in society, leading to a more intimate relation with the sea.
The change from sea baths to beaches was a kind of revolution. The White Russian immigrants escaping communism in Russia affected many changes in Istanbul’s social life. Arguably, the most important of these was the introduction of beach-going culture and seaside pleasure that brought people in contact with the sea. From the 1920s onward, sea baths gradually evolved into beaches where men and women could swim together. The people in the city soon got used to going to the beach and the activity created its own forms of entertainment, fashion and culture. Once the sea became a part of urban life, Istanbul developed a unique sense of freedom as well. The golden era of beach culture lasted until the 1960s, after which rapid social and demographic changes took their toll. In a way, the city lost its sea.
Istanbul, surrounded by water, has been one of the world’s most important port cities throughout history. Pera Museum and the Istanbul Research Institute display this history with this extraordinary exhibition. Also accompanying the exhibition is an extensive publication shedding light on the public’s sea, sea faring and sea culture in general, exploring the multifaceted and unique sea culture of Istanbul.