Türkiye
This was a six-day study-tour to research, sketch and paint Istanbul’s rich cultural and historic UNESCO World heritage mosques and explore the Bosporus Strait. A natural strait and internationally significant waterway located in Turkey which straddles the city of Istanbul. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and forms one of the continental boundaries between Asia and Europe. It forms a crucial international maritime choke-point for trade, particularly for oil and grains. Historically, it has been a vital trade route and strategic asset for empires like the Byzantines and Ottomans, controlling access between seas and shaping regional power dynamics. Control over the Bosphorus has historically given empires, including the ancient Greeks, significant economic and military advantage. Especially from Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan, making it vital to the global economy. Today, the Bosphorus remains a strategic shipping strait of exceptional beauty where waterfront mansions, museums, hotels, palaces and pavilions, fortresses and mosques can be seen.
This was an opportunity to experience Türkiye’s rich culture of a dynamic blend of Mediterranean, European, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian traditions, shaped by centuries of diverse civilizations and empires, notably the Ottoman Empire. Key aspects include strong family and community values, significant Islamic influence and renowned cuisine like kebabs and Turkish coffee, unique hospitality, and their rich artistic heritage in music, dance, and crafts.