Our visit is to our beloved friend Serdar Gulgun’s mansion in the Asian side in Çengelköy, situated right on the Bosphorus. Serdar, for those of you who have’t heard about him, is somewhat of a renaissance man who carries the grace of a nobleman. He is an interior designer, collector of Ottoman art as well as a Turkish art historian and connoisseur.
Aside from his extensive knowledge on various subjects, whomever encounters him, will note that he is an attentive host, and a captivating story teller, with a wonderful sense of humour.
Serdar resides at the Feyzullah Paşa Mansion. Hence the name, it was originally owned by a Paşa during the Ottoman Era. Gulgun made it his personal mission, and completely restored the mansion to its former grandeur.
He acquainted us with story of the mansion: It was built towards the end of 1850’s as a hunting ‘kosk’, meaning mansion. The mansion, which is embedded within the lush greenery of the Asian side, has a wooden structure. It has four floors, and when the eye is led up from the plush interiors up to the ceiling, one is struck by the level of intricacy in the ornate detailing.
Serdar Gulgun bought the property 10 years ago and it took him 3 years to renovate. His mission was to cultivate an air of originality, and make it reminiscent of a time when it was occupied by the Pasha while anchoring it in the present moment.
There are 9 rooms in each floor, which are of cruciform. Gulgun explains the Ottomans liked to combine nomadic and Christian influences. “The renovation and the maintenance of this mansion was not easy at all. I never regretted that I have put my self in such a hardship. I enjoy every moment of it- I feel happy living in this mansion.”
As we enter through the gates, we ascend up the stairs into the garden, passing the marble-laden pool and canvas of green, we enter the house. We visit each room on every floor, and we are transported to a different era, invaded by a wave history and richness, a feast for the eyes, a playground for the senses, one undoubtedly has the urge to be left alone for hours to touch, stare, discover.
It is all in the details, in the colors, in memory filled objects and in exquisite taste. Calligraphy is dotted around like graffiti in the house, him being particularly keen on Ottoman Calligraphy and Ottoman textiles, Gulgun tells us of his love for the calligraphic practice in the Ottoman era. Indeed, the balance between the art of writing and graphics left us spell binded and mesmerized.
As we sat down for a glass of black tea, Serdar picks up his newly released book on the Grand Bazar and tells of his love story “Today Grand and Egyptian Bazaar is my playground. I go there to seek out ancient odors, sounds and colors. They are live witnesses of our history and inevitable parts of modern life,” he said.
Gulgun is enamoured by the is the colors in the Grand and Egyptian Bazaars: shining gold in shop windows, the flames of the oil lamps, warm colors of spices. He decided to take the unique colors revived in the bazaars to people’s homes. One can see the colors of henna, sage, black pepper, mahaleb, basil, exotic turmeric, orchid, tinned coppers, and amulet and flame tones in the collection.
One couldn’t resist asking him the most obvious question: Would you have liked to have live in the Ottoman era? Gulgun resumes the role of the spectator and the analyzers and responds:
“Everybody asks me if I would have liked to live in the Ottoman era and I always say no. Those days were hard to live in. I cherish living in an re-created Ottoman era mansion in this century.”
