Emine Erdoğan opened Ian Berry’s "Secrets in the Garden" exhibition.
Ian Berry opened a new exhibition at the Presidential National Library, in Ankara, Turkiye. The ‘Secrets are in the Garden’ show was requested to Ankara by Emine Erdoğan, the First Lady of Türkiye, the founder of the Zero Waste Foundation and Chairperson of the UN Zero Waste Advisory Board. She is credited for bringing the Zero Waste Project to the global agenda
Berry presented Emine Erdoğan with a bouquet of flowers made from waste textile fabrics on arrival. Emine Erdoğan's outfit, which complemented the exhibition in both shade and meaning, is also a work of recycling. The transformation of a hand-embroidered bedspread, known in Anatolia as "beyaz iş" (white work), into a stylish jacket supports Erdoğan's commitment to this issue.
Emirine Erdoğan cut the ribbon along with Berry and a host of dignitaries, for the opening of the exhibition with congratulatory wishes and toured the exhibition guided by Ian Berry, the pioneer of works with denim who had been working with the material for twenty years ‘transforming everyday jeans into works of art’.
Emine Erdoğan closely examined the works on display and learned directly from Berry about the production process and their meanings, spending quite some time on each piece. She was also very interested in the Fast Fashion Graveyard footage that Berry was showing.
Emine Erdoğan also experienced the art creation by applying a flower to a portion of the artist's work of a bouquet of flowers in a vase, inspired by 15th-century Iznik tiles.
The First Lady shared this on her social media accounts.
I was pleased to cut the ribbon for the opening of the “Secrets in the Garden” exhibition, created using denim fabrics by artist Ian Berry, hosted by our Presidential Library.
This special exhibition invites us to consider the idea of "recycling" as an intellectual re-reading rather than an environmental action. Each work, each more profound than the other, opens doors to different worlds with the messages it conveys. Discarded and forgotten denim fabrics find new meaning and offer a powerful narrative. It speaks of remembering, connecting, and rooting oneself in the future.
I wholeheartedly congratulate our artist, who places sustainability at the centre of art as a cultural responsibility, and everyone who contributed to this exhibition.
Ian Berry ‘was etched in people's memories with his dreamlike images’ when he opened his first solo exhibition in Turkiye at Kalyon Kültür in Istanbul. The Beyond Denim exhibition attracting tens of thousands of people to the venue. Among them, some from the First Lady’s team.
The Secret Garden in the Presidential Library in Ankara
The show in Ankara features 13 works with the Secret Garden Installation being a cental focus. His famed work Secret Garden, was remade to reflect the environment, which features flowers, from roses, lavender and pansies, vines, plants and a pond full of koi fish, waterlilies and pads. It also incorporated his work, Zodiac Compatibility displayed around its inner curve.
‘I was honoured to be the first artist to ever show in this space, this special room in the amazing building. I wanted the installation to acknowledge where we were showing, so we made the pagoda with the dome and the star shaped pond, all to be the centre piece and focus of th show, as I think it is the work that reflects sustainability the most as It is talking about nature.’
Exposing the beauty of recycling through art
In his "Secrets in the Garden" exhibition, Ian Berry aims to encourage the discovery of the beauty of recycling with artworks created from previously used, discarded denim pieces. The exhibition includes the title work from the artist's "Behind Closed Doors" exhibition, which has also been exhibited in museums in Europe and USA,
Ian Beery with his Surveillance installation in Ankara
Other works on display were Bound, Ian Berry's Self-Portrait, His Lock Down Living Room, Paradise Lost, Denim Legends, his IClapFor project, and " Surveillance his Closed Circuit Television System installation that tracks over London, the artists base.
At the end of the exhibition visit, Ian Berry presented Emine Erdoğan with another floral bouquets he made from denim fabric, with the logos and wording of the Zero Waste Foundation in the petals.
Emine Erdoğan with Ian Berry and his son, Elliott.
Emine Erdoğan was also welcomed at the Presidential National Library to open the exhibition by Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and his wife Pervin Ersoy, Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Kalyon Holding Chairman of the Board Cemal Kalyoncu and Kalyon Foundation President Reyhan Kalyoncu.
Also in attendance was Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, AK Party Deputy Group Chair Leyla Şahin Usta, former Treasury and Finance Minister Lütfi Elvan, several ministers' spouses, and representatives of the culture and arts media.
The Presidential National Library also attracted a large crowd on its first day. Besides the exhibition's subtle philosophy, taking photos amidst the magnificent views left an unforgettable memory for attendees.
The Presidential National Library
Cumhurbaşkanlığı Millet Kütüphanesi
The Nation's Library is a library located in Ankara, Turkey. The library, which was established in 2016, was opened by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 20 February 2020 with the participation of approximately 2,000 guests. The Nation's Library has 5,048,493 printed resources, including 2,168,302 books and 2,948,290 periodicals belonging to 25,017 printed journals in 134 different languages. It is also the largest library in the country and it has become one of the world’s leading libraries.
Located inside the Presidential Complex at Ankara, the Library is 125,000 square meters and can accommodate up to 5,000 readers at a time. The library building is decorated with white and pink marble, designed with traditional Seljuk, Ottoman and contemporary motifs.
The Zero Waste Foundation was established in 2023 under the auspices of Emine Erdoğan, the wife of the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The foundation operates with the aim of promoting the Zero Waste Project and ensuring its sustainability. It strives to foster an environmentally conscious society by encouraging individuals and institutions to embrace the zero-waste philosophy.
The foundation’s primary objectives include raising awareness about zero waste, encouraging the exchange of knowledge and experience, and developing and disseminating best practices in this field. To achieve these goals, the foundation conducts extensive activities in areas such as education, research, project development, and implementation.
To ensure the adoption of zero-waste practices in all areas, the foundation collaborates with public institutions, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations. Additionally, it aims to create a global impact by promoting zero-waste initiatives at the international level.