On Friday, June 3rd through Sunday, June 5th, 2016, ISTANBUL’74 founders Alphan Eseli and Demet Muftuoglu Eseli hosted the sixth edition of the Istanbul International Arts and Culture Festival (IST. Festival), which pairs leaders in art, design, fashion, film, music, literature, and architecture with their Turkish counterparts; this year’s theme was Aesthetics in Arts & Culture.

The festival began on Friday evening with Anton Corbijn’s “NUMBER 5” exhibition opening at the ISTANBUL’74 Galatasaray Gallery in Istanbul followed by a welcome dinner hosted by Demet Müftüoğlu Eşeli and Ottoman Art Expert Serdar Gülgün at his historical mansion, which featured a performance by Ninos Du Brasil (Nico Vascellari and Nicolo Fortuni). Joining the all-star participants for the weekend included Delfina Delettrez Fendi (Jewelry Designer), Waris Ahluwalia (Designer and Actor), Catherine Baba (Stylist), Johan Lindeberg (Designer, J.Lindeberg), Robert Rabensteiner (Stylist), Jenny Mannerheim (EACH x OTHER), Rupert Friend (Actor, Writer, Director), among many others. Saturday began with a series of panels at VAKKO Fashion Center, including a book signing by Jefferson Hack (Founder, Dazed Media). On Saturday night, Demet Müftüoğlu Eşeli and Alphan Eşeli with Chopard hosted the Festival Gala dinner for over 200 international and Turkish guests, held this year at Çırağan Palace Bosphorus Pier Lounge, a former 19th century Ottoman palace. An after party hosted by Demet Müftüoğlu Eşeli and Waris Ahluwalia followed late into the night at Soho House Istanbul Downstairs with a dance party led by international DJ, Paul Sevigny. On Sunday, the IST. Festival continued at Soho House Istanbul, a magnificent 19th century Palazzo Corpi located in the Beyoğlu district, with panels and special screenings of “Dreamers” by Noelle Deschamps and “ONE: Union of the Senses,” a short-film by artist Jose Parla, as well as a one-of-a-kind performance with Thurston Moore (Musician) with Turkish band Konstruct.

Additional highlights from the program included:

Anton Corbijn (Photographer, Music Video and Film Director, Graphic Designer) exhibition comprising of six photographs featuring some of his most well-known subjects from the music world at ISTANBUL’74 Galatasaray Gallery.

David Adjaye (Architect) panel with Turkish architect Murat Tabanlıoğlu (Architect) analyzing cultural movements as they have influenced architectural aesthetics and shaped our view of the built environment.

Actresses Parker Posey and Serra Yilmaz panel discussing Women in Film, as well as actress, model, activist Aimee Mullins analyzing her career.

Silvia Venturini Fendi (Creative Director, Fendi) panel on her life’s work dedicated to fashion and family, moderated by Dan Thawley (Editor-in-Chief, A Magazine).

Jefferson Hack (Founder, Dazed Media) book signing for his newly released book, We Can’t Do This Alone, showcasing the extraordinary journey into underground culture, featuring contributions from cultural provocateurs such as Tilda Swinton, Rankin, Aimee Mullins, Björk and more. Coupled with the book signing will be an exhibition of original artworks contained in the book, bringing to life 25 iconic quotes from Jefferson Hack’s editorial career.

ISTANBUL’74 and EACH x OTHER pop-up store located at PERA64 featuring live screen-printing by artist Blair Chivers, as well as products from Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (Fashion Designer), Robert Montgomery (Artist) and Jefferson Hack, which will run until August 3, 2016.

Anja Rubik (Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief, 25 Magazine), Ben Gorham (Perfumer, Byredo) panel reclaiming the five senses, highlighting the people who possess the clarity to articulate the world to others through them and exploring what it means to learn through the senses from the moment we are born.

Also participated on panel discussions and talks include Miroslaw Balka (Artist), Sven Schumann (Founder, The Talks), Seza Paker (Artist), Ali Akay (Curator, Writer, Critic, Sociologist), Şelale Kadak (Journalist), Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (Fashion Designer), Robert Montgomery (Artist), Latife Tekin (Author), and Barbaros Altuğ (Literary Agent, Writer).

The weekend culminated on Sunday eve with the traditional sunset boat sail, co-hosted by The Setai Miami, on the Bosphorus after cocktails at Ciragan Palace Kempinski, and a farewell dinner on the Sureyya boat, hosted by Demet Müftüoğlu Eşeli and Etem Postacioglu.

Full festival programming : https://istanbul74.com/

Curator and Organizer: ISTANBUL’74

Festival Supporter: Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Culture and Tourism

Main Sponsor: VAKKO

Gold Sponsor: Tektaş Watches & Jewellery

Hotel Sponsor: 10 Karaköy, A Morgan’s Original

Sponsor of Transportation: Audi

Sponsor of Hospitality: X Flats

Venues: ISTANBUL’74, VAKKO Fashion Center, Soho House Istanbul

ABOUT ISTANBUL INTERNATIONAL ARTS & CULTURE FESTIVAL (IST. FESTIVAL) Istanbul International Arts and Culture Festival (IST. Festival) is an annual, high-profile Festival, held in Istanbul. Since its beginning in 2010, the IST. Festival has forged cultural and artistic relations by gathering leading cultural figures from around the globe using the city of Istanbul as a stage and meeting point.

In the course of three days, the admission-free festival offers the public audience the unique opportunity to attend open panels and talks, screenings, workshops, exhibitions while giving them the chance to experience artistic collaborations and performances.

Attended by writers, directors, actors, filmmakers, musicians, artists, designers and performers, the festival brings together creative minds that share a compassion that leads to a global vocabulary of emotions.

Past international participants have included Harvey Keitel, Daniel Arsham, Juliette Lewis, Waris Ahluwalia, Trevor Paglen, Alex Prager, Francesco Carrozzini, Edward Enninful, Robert Montgomery, Tilda Swinton, Kirsten Dunst, Zaha Hadid, Terry Gilliam, Michael Nyman, Gore Vidal, Courtney Love, Haider Ackermann, Ryan McGinley, Sam Taylor Wood, Sophie Calle, Michael Stipe, Carine Roitfelt, Andrew Dominik, Nate Lowman, Aaron Young, Mark Romanek, Mario Sorrenti, Daphne Guinness, Zoe Cassavetes, Delfina Delettrez Fendi, Abel Ferrera, Peter Beard, Terence Koh, Tim Walker, JR, and Jose Parla, among many others.