From 17th-century merchant routes to modern-day disaster relief, a newly opened exhibition in the southern city of Gaziantep offers a powerful look at the 400-year bond between the Netherlands and Türkiye.
Covering a vast range of themes from Delft Blue ceramics to Ottoman tulips, the exhibition explores historical and contemporary ties through diverse narratives, highlighting everything from commercial relations to instances of solidarity during challenging times.
Prepared in the context of the 400-year history of Dutch–Levant trade relations, the exhibition traces the arrival of Dutch merchants on Levantine coasts in the 17th century and shows how these connections evolved over the centuries.
At the heart of the exhibition is a large wall tapestry inspired by Johannes Vermeer’s famous painting Girl with a Pearl Earring, hand-stitched by more than 100 women affected by the twin earthquakes on Feb. 6, 2023.
Through a collective production process, the women expressed their experiences of loss and grief.
Speaking at the opening, Mayor Fatma Şahin emphasized Gaziantep’s long-standing role as a center of trade, culture and solidarity.
She underlined the importance of the city’s production capacity, export strength and entrepreneurial character in economic cooperation between the two countries.
Referring to the Feb. 6 earthquakes, she also recalled the support provided by Dutch institutions and rescue teams, noting that the shared heritage between the two countries extends beyond trade to strong human bonds.
