Exhibitions Draw Strong Interest at the 95th İzmir International Fair

Hosted by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and organized by İZFAŞ, the 95th İzmir International Fair offers visitors a variety of experiences through its cultural and artistic events. Exhibitions located at different points throughout Kültürpark are attracting strong interest from fair visitors.

The exhibition “ROMANTİKA / Bir Ömrün Seyrüseferi” (ROMANTIKA / The Journey of a Lifetime), presented at the Atlas Pavilion in Kültürpark, offers visitors a comprehensive look at the life and art of Nâzım Hikmet. Prepared with the support and under the auspices of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and produced by Folkart, the exhibition is one of the most comprehensive exhibitions on Nâzım Hikmet ever held in Türkiye. Through portraits, manuscripts, poetry books, personal belongings, and various visual materials, visitors have the opportunity to take a closer look at the poet’s life and work.

The Story of 90 Years

“Kültürpark at 90,” an exhibition exploring Kültürpark’s 90-year history and its place in the city’s social and cultural life, is among the fair’s prominent cultural and artistic attractions. Through photographs, documents, and various materials, the exhibition traces Kültürpark’s story from past to present and sheds light on the journey of this iconic İzmir landmark through the city’s collective memory. Opened on September 5, the exhibition can be visited until December 31.

Culture, History, and Art at Every Turn

At Göl Gazinosu, another cultural and artistic venue in Kültürpark, visitors can explore the “Towards the Opening” exhibition, which presents the development of the İzmir Culinary Museum and introduces İzmir’s rich gastronomic heritage. The exhibition explores the accumulated culinary traditions of İzmir from past to present and highlights different aspects of the city’s gastronomic culture.

Meanwhile, “Art Stops: Hüseyin Terzioğlu Collection,” on display at the Mehmet Tüzüm Kızılcan Art Gallery, presents visitors with a collection built over nearly 30 years. Bringing together works by artists from different periods of contemporary Turkish painting, the exhibition continues to welcome visitors as one of the fair’s key art destinations. It can be visited until September 21, 2026.

Visitors Delighted with the Exhibitions

İzmir residents and fair guests visiting the cultural and artistic venues of the İzmir International Fair shared their impressions of the exhibitions and expressed their satisfaction with the prominent place given to culture and art as part of the fair.

İbrahim Atlayan: “I have a particular interest in exhibitions. I always visit the exhibitions organized as part of the fair. I visited the Nâzım Hikmet Exhibition at the Atlas Pavilion, and last year I also visited the Refik Anadol and Atatürk exhibitions. Now I have come to see the Hüseyin Terzioğlu Collection. I hope these exhibitions will continue.”

Zerrin Bağcıvan: “I am a retired literature teacher. I visit all the exhibitions organized at the fair. I also attended last year’s exhibitions. I absolutely loved the Nâzım Hikmet Exhibition. I have loved Nâzım Hikmet since childhood and have read everything I could about him, yet I still discovered many aspects of him that I did not know before. One day was not enough, so I will come back and explore it in greater detail. Another thing that makes me very happy is seeing how crowded these exhibitions are and how much interest they receive from young people. I hope our Metropolitan Municipality will continue organizing exhibitions like these.”

İbrahim Bağcıvan: “My wife and I come from Kuşadası every year for the İzmir International Fair. The exhibitions are always what interest us most at the fair. We visited them last year as well and enjoyed them very much. This year’s Nâzım Hikmet Exhibition is truly exceptional. We knew and read Nâzım Hikmet before, but seeing his life presented in such detail and in such a well-organized exhibition is wonderful. I would like to thank the Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and everyone who contributed, and I hope these exhibitions continue.”

Murat Aydın: “I am a teacher and have been working in İzmir for 19 years. Today, we came to the fair specifically to visit the Nâzım Hikmet Exhibition. He is one of my favorite poets. The exhibition is wonderful. I had the opportunity to see traces of his life and learn about aspects of his life and family that I did not know before. Cultural and artistic activities like this suit İzmir’s cultural identity very well. We also come with our students to attend book fairs. In this respect, İzmir is a very fulfilling city.”

Erol Hindistan: “I am a great admirer of Nâzım Hikmet and have read all his books. I have been an educator for 33 years. Nâzım Hikmet is one of the world’s greatest and most important poets. I am very happy to see the fair go beyond entertainment and evolve into such a rich cultural and artistic mosaic. I will recommend the exhibition to my students and bring my child here as well. In the course of our daily lives, we can sometimes forget such important figures, but an exhibition like this presents the entire story to us like scenes from a film. I sincerely thank everyone who contributed and have great respect for everyone who brought us such a project that enriches the human spirit.”

Yunus Tatlı: “I am a medical student and have been living in İzmir for two years. This is the first time I have visited an exhibition like this. It is truly comprehensive and beautifully prepared. I would very much like to see exhibitions like this continue because I believe they are also very important in helping young people learn about our past and our culture.”

Gülçin Özkan: “I live in İstanbul, but I was born and raised in İzmir. Today, I came to visit all the exhibitions. Last year, I also visited the Atatürk exhibition. I think it is extremely valuable that such a comprehensive collection on Nâzım Hikmet is now being presented to the public. Nâzım Hikmet’s story is told beautifully. I hope everyone comes to visit and see it.”

Duru Deniz Çoban: “I am a first-year law student. I have been eagerly waiting for this exhibition ever since I heard it was going to open. I told all my friends about it. I tell everyone that if you want to say you have truly experienced Nâzım Hikmet, you should come and see this exhibition.”

Oğuz Kaan Yıldız: “When I first came to the fair, I wanted to see the museums and exhibitions organized by our municipality. Reading and learning about the Culinary Museum and the information presented here is very important to me because passing knowledge about the past on to the present is extremely valuable for enriching our general cultural awareness. I would like to thank everyone who contributed.”

Gizem Koca: “Exhibitions, museums, and theatre are the activities that interest me most. Having these events as part of the fair is very important to me. Thank you very much.”

Lal Sarı: “I visited the Nâzım Hikmet Exhibition and was deeply impressed. I told my friends about it, and they are all going to come. The exhibitions have made a strong impression on me. I saw Nâzım’s portraits, photographs, and poems, and I was very moved. Now I am visiting an exhibition that tells the story of Kültürpark’s 90-year history. Exhibitions like these and other cultural and artistic events add tremendous quality to the fair. I would like to thank everyone who contributed.”