From Ottoman-era pumps to eco-art: Istanbul reimagines water

Welcome to Al-Monitor Istanbul.

With record temperatures and wildfires blazing across Turkey this week, we turn to water — as a memory, myth, diplomatic tool and much-needed relief. From an art show at a repurposed pumping station to literary currents and coastal menus, this is the Water Edition. 

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Thanks for reading,

Nazlan (@NazlanEr on X)

P.S. Have tips on Istanbul’s culture scene? Send them my way at nertan@al-monitor.com.

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1. Leading the week: All rivers run

“Yakup’s Goksu” by Seniha Unay. (Courtesy of IBB Culture)

An exhibition that captures the sign of the times, "Sudan Sebepler," brings together 14 young-ish artists at Cendere Arts Center at Sariyer, a district known for its waterfront and fish restaurants. 

Curated by Ezgi Bakcay and Sena Tural and organized by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, the show weaves visual stories of civilization and barbarism around the role of water as both a lifeline and a legacy. The name itself is a play on words: While “su” means water in Turkish, a “sudan sebep” can be translated as a “watered-down reason” or, more accurately, a flimsy excuse. 

From playful water pumps to giant lobsters, the exhibit argues that we can't speak of a shared future unless we abandon our flimsy excuses for inaction in the face of environmental disasters and take concentrated action.

Housed in a former water pumping station that has been restored and reimagined as a cultural venue, Cendere Arts is itself a symbol of the city's shifting relationship with water, transitioning from infrastructure to inspiration. Built in 1902 under the strategic genius of Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II as part of the Hamidiye water network, it once pumped over 1,000 cubic meters of water daily to fountains and palaces. Although its towering chimney is gone, the original brick and ironwork remain as a structural memoir transformed into a contemplative art space. The transformation seems just right for  Istanbul, a city cradled by the Golden Horn, split by the Bosphorus, and flanked by the Sea of Marmara, where its aqueducts and cisterns are top tourist attractions (hopefully more on them in future editions).

The exhibition draws inspiration from the civilizational currents of the Nile, the Ganges, the Yellow River, and Mesopotamia — places where rivers not only carved out landscapes but also shaped belief systems, as well as literature. Bahadir Yildiz’s plastic “Painted Bird” winks at  Jerzy Kosinsky, while Seniha Unay’s cardboard fish and underwater plants, all from the Goksu River in southern Anatolia, dominate a wall.

Bahadir Yildız’s white “Heart Chakra” with waste plastic, smartphone and paint and
“Painted bird” of waste plastic. (Courtesy of IBB Culture)

Location: Cendere Arts Center,  Ayazaga Mahallesi, Cendere Caddesi, No: 128, Sariyer 

Dates: Through Oct. 15

2. Word on the street: Bebek Fish

Fish with a view at Bebek Balikcisi. (Photo: Bebek Balikcisi website)

Bebek Balikcisi has been serving seafood in the Sevket Bey Apartment since the 1950s. One of Istanbul’s oldest and most storied fish restaurants, it has hosted everyone from director Oliver Stone to cinema diva Catherine Deneuve, while quietly preserving its reputation for classic Turkish and Mediterranean dishes, first-class service, and a postcard-perfect view.

Now led by Chef Zeynep Petek Dursun, the restaurant recently earned praise from the Gault & Millau guide and continues to blend tradition with transparency — thanks to its open kitchen concept. Favorites from the menu include fish in salt, grilled octopus, calamari, with quince dessert or pumpkin tahini providing a sweet finish. 

Location: Bebek, Cevdet Pasa Cd. 26/A, 34342 Besiktas/Istanbul

3. Istanbul (and beyond) diary

Make your own ice cream with The Culinary Arts Academy. (Photo: MSA website) 

• Need something cold? As of July 11, the MSA Culinary Arts Academy hosts a hands-on workshop in the fine art of gelato, covering everything from fruity sorbets to silky sauces. Spots are limited, but frozen treats are forever. Details here.
• On July 24, Urla’s Vino Locale stages a singular tasting menu dedicated entirely to Bornova Misket, Izmir’s signature aromatic grape. The proceeds will fund (grape) genetic research in France. For inquiries email info@urlavinolocale.com.
• Until Sept. 1, Art X-ist’s exhibition "Walls Embraced" at Simurg Inn in Kaz Daglari — the mythological Mount Ida, birthplace of Zeus and the venue of the ill-fated judgment of Paris — brings together 11 contemporary artists whose works echo ancient myths and modern politics. For details, check here.