American Ottomans

The exhibition, which narrates the struggles for existence of Ottomans who migrated to the United States from the mid-19th century onwards and their relations with Türkiye through individual stories, brought a light to a fading era. It revealed life stories shaped by wars, epidemics, natural disasters, and diplomatic crises.

Referring to the etymology of the word “diaspora”, the exhibition focused on paperwork which immigrants are often forced to. Interactive applications such as sealings of letters and Anatolian seeds specially imported from Türkiye created the dynamic characteristics of the exhibition.

The exhibition held in Gallery 23, a 120 m2 area in New York, was presented to Turkish migrants and New Yorkers between the dates of September 19 and 24, 2021.