Talk
Looking at Istanbul from the Black Sea: Seascapes and Imperial Discourses
26 February 2025 / 19:00
The works of Ivan K. Aivazovsky stand out not only as artistic achievements but also as tools that illuminate inter-imperial relations and identities while being evaluated as visual documents reflecting the political and cultural dynamics of the period. The artist's relationships with the Ottoman Empire, how he treated national and imperial identities in his works, and how he addressed cultural boundaries through maritime representations enable us to understand his works in a broader context.
In this conversation, based on Fatma Coşkuner's doctoral dissertation titled On the Threshold of the Black Sea: Intersecting Discourses of Identity and Empire in the Paintings of Ivan K. Aivazovsky, the significance of the Black Sea will be discussed not merely as a geographical space but as a multilayered cultural contact point where different civilizations intersect and interact. Through Aivazovsky's Black Sea-themed works and Istanbul depictions, the discussion will explore how imperial identities, national narratives, and geographical representations were shaped.
With Seza Sinanlar Uslu's contributions as a discussant, this conversation aims to re-examine the artist's works through an interdisciplinary approach and discuss the Black Sea as a cultural intersection point. This theme will be explored in a framework that illuminates the region's historical and cultural dynamics, going beyond just an artist's monograph.
The talk will be broadcast live on the YouTube channel of the Istanbul Research Institute.
About Chamber Talks
Chamber Talks initiated by the Istanbul Research Institute (İAE) in 2008 to add a different dimension to Istanbul studies, aims to feature the latest research and discussions about Istanbul with its scope ranging from history to architecture, and from music to cinema.
About Fatma Coşkuner
Received her BA and MA from Boğaziçi University's History Department, she earned a second master's degree from European University at St. Petersburg. She completed her PhD at Koç University in 2021 with a dissertation titled On the Threshold of the Black Sea: Intersecting Identity and Discourses of Empire in the Paintings of Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky examining the relationship between empire, identity, and spatial perception through the works of Armenian-Russian painter Ivan K. Aivazovsky. Coşkuner currently serves as Education, Learning, and Events Specialist at Sabancı University's Sakıp Sabancı Museum. Coşkuner holds the 2024-25 IAE-ANAMED Joint Fellowship.
About Seza Sinanlar Uslu
She earned her BA in Art History from Istanbul University, MA in History from Boğaziçi University, and PhD in Art History from Istanbul Technical University. Taught at Galatasaray High School from 1996-2007, Sinanlar Uslu is currently a Professor at Yıldız Technical University's Art Department's Art Management Program since 2009. She has curated various exhibitions at the French Cultural Center, Naval Museum, and Pera Museum in Istanbul. Her research focuses on cultural and artistic life in the nineteenth-century Ottoman world, as well as investigating the lives of forgotten and lost artists.
