Dates : 12/1/2010 - 10/2/2010

The history of diplomatic and political relations between Turkey and France, and the significance of this history for both nations, is well known. But the relations between the two countries are not limited to politics and diplomacy; they also include ties in the field of arts and culture, where their main effects can be seen.

A cultural documentary exhibition, “Café & Croissant: Both Turkish and French,” aims to show that these bilateral relations have left traces in the language, science and daily life of both countries.

The exhibition, inspired by an idea from Galatasaray University member and European Union expert Dr. Cengiz Aktar, has been developed, designed and realized by Zerrin Baydar, Çağlar Şavkay and Mesut Tufan.

Aiming to express the importance and continuity of relations between Turkey and France, the exhibition features the points where the two cultures come closer and interact, under thematic titles including “Journey of Words,” “Journey of People,” “Journey of Ideas,” “Science, Nature, Culture,” “Daily Life,” “Both Turkish and French” and “Events and Histories.”

As part of Turkey Season in France, this traveling exhibition has been displayed in various French cities since October 2009 and will end in March of this year. “Café & Croissant” opens today at the Istanbul French Cultural Center, which has supported and collaborated in the exhibition.

“Turkey and France are seen as countries that are far from each other in terms of geography and culture. Especially from the French side, Turkey is still unknown and there are still prejudices against it,” said Şavkay, explaining the genesis of the idea to organize this exhibition. “But these are not far countries; they succeeded in establishing bilateral relations in the cultural, as well as diplomatic and political fields. The relationship between the two cultures is not only made up of differences, there are also factors that bring them closer. We wanted to remind people of this fact.”

While preparing the exhibition, Şavkay said the organizers benefited from the documents and views of Turkish and French scientists, historians and researchers who have done important work on Turkey-France relations. He said it was apparent that Turkey asked to have good relations with France in each era.

“Developments in the 16th and 17th century showed that it was possible. The French model had an important effect on the modernization of the Ottoman Empire and the founding of the Republic,” he said. “Relations also existed in the intellectual area. French culture is the one with which Turkey had the closest relations. It was a tool for Turkey to know modern Europe.”

“All these things have deepened bilateral relations,” he added. “Today there is perhaps a closeness between the two countries that can never be destroyed by daily political relations.”

Very good reactions

The “Café & Croissant” exhibition has been traveling between French cities for some time. Şavkay said the reactions they received during this process were very pleasing; the exhibition drew much interest in every city it visited and people understood its aim. He added that the organizers felt it was important to open the exhibition in cities that other related events could not reach, saying, “In this way, small centers have established relations with the Turkey Season in France.”

According to Şavkay, the exhibition was free of charge and often accompanied by meetings, conferences and other events on Turkey that were organized by local cultural centers in France.

Speaking about the concrete effects of both countries on each other’s daily lives and language, Şavkay said the interaction in language showed itself first of all with the existence of thousands of French words in the Turkish language. Likewise, there are words of Turkish origin in the French language, as the exhibition shows.

“As for daily life, the name of the exhibition is a direct reference to these effects. Cafés and croissants are real ‘French’ parts of French daily life. But both have relations with Turkey and Turks too,” he said. “The Ottomans introduced coffee and the coffee culture to Europe. The thing that inspired croissants seems like nothing but the Ottoman crescent. Similarly, we have coffeehouses but also cafés. When we are eating croissants, we are eating an ordinary French thing.”

“Café & Croissant: Both Turkish and French” is on view at the French Cultural Center in Istanbul’s Taksim district through Feb. 10.

For more information, visit www.café-croissant.com and www.infist.org

© 2009 Hurriyet Daily News/ İHSAN YILMAZ