Deniz Met, Director of Marketing & Art Curator
Raffles Hotel, Istanbul
How long have you been working in the tourism sector?
I spent the first 10 years of my career working for the Koç Group, as well as another international company, always in the field of Marketing. I decided to change sectors, and began working in luxury hotel management at the Hillside Beach Club and Hillside Su hotels operated by the Alarko Tourism Group. I started working for Raffles Istanbul a year before the launch, and have been Marketing Director for the past 7 years.
Raffles Istanbul has a strong connection with architecture and art. Can you tell us more the hotel’s relationship with art?
Raffles Istanbul Zorlu Center’s interior design was inspired by many different aspects of our ancient city. The main theme is Istanbul itself – what we call the “Dream of Istanbul” – supported by its rich art collection. The interior design was created by Hirsch Bedner Associates, one of the world's top accommodation interior design firms, and the curation of the artworks was carried out by HBA's art consultant, Canvas, who are well regarded in the international arena. Turkish and foreign artists were included in the art program designed by Canvas’s art consultants. The Turkish works were curated by Meray Akmut, whose works can be seen in the Raffles Suite.
The Raffles Istanbul art collection is very rich and diverse, with more than 220 commissioned works. Featuring iconic building blocks of the city, The Istanbul Dream collection is made up of over 70 pieces, each more valuable than the last. For example, you can find traces of caftans, jewels and ferries in the works, reflecting the rich culture of Dolmabahçe Palace, Hagia Sophia, and Istanbul.
Artworks are exhibited throughout the hotel, from the guest rooms to the corridors, from the restaurants to the lobby. “Dolmabahçe Palace” is a 'hyperphotograph' – a photographic installation, which French artist Jean François Rauzier, who frequently attends Contemporary Istanbul, describes as "like the realization of a long forgotten dream". As they enter, guests are greeted on the left by Martin Dawe's enormous Lavinia sculpture, named after Özdemir Asaf's eponymous poem. Via the works spread throughout the hotel, our guests are invited to become a part of an experience combining art and Istanbul.
You offer a special art tour at the hotel. Can you tell me more about it?
We invite our guests to explore the deep and rich history of Istanbul via our art collection that inspires, evokes memories and sparks dreams of the city. You can think of this 50-minute art tour as an Art Walk or Curiosity Walk, where we share insights about each piece of art.
We meet in the Lobby and begin to explore the 'Istanbul Dream' encapsulated by this rich collection. The art walk, which lasts for about an hour, ends in the city's only Champagne Bar, which contains artworks that reference the hotel's history. The tour includes works by Ardan Özmenoğlu, Yasemin Aslan Bakiri, Mehmet Günyeli, Ali Alisir, Mustafa Horasan, İrfan Önürmen, Meray Akmut, Şahin Paksoy, Sali Turan, İsmail Öklügil, Oylum Öktem İşözen, Serdar Tekebaşoğlu and many other important Turkish artists.
How does Istanbul feature in the hotel?
Throughout the hotel, there are deft references to all the varied civilizations that have passed through Istanbul. These include geometric patterns from the early Islamic period, architectural details from the Selçuklu period, jewels from Byzantine times, mosaic tiles, and imposing columns. The "Istanbul Dream" culminates in the guest rooms in a special mural designed differently for each room, depicting a "dream" derived from combination of the city's iconic landmarks such as Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Each room has a large terrace with a stunning panoramic view taking in both the city and the Princes' Islands. These references to Istanbul's history are particularly in line with Raffles' emphasis on preserving its rich heritage and sense of destination.
When did you first develop a personal interest in art?
I’ve been curious about photography since I was very young, and I took black and white photographs throughout my years as a student at the German High School. I took great pleasure in exploring the alleys of Beyoğlu in the 1980s, camera in hand. I printed the photos I took in the dark room of our school, waiting impatiently for the photos to dry to see what I had captured. In recent years, I have been interested in modern painting and different architectural perspectives. I attended some Western and Modern Art History courses at the Istanbul Modern and have read many art books. This was an important turning point for me. I was lucky enough to learn firsthand about the hotel's art collection through the perspectives and inspirational stories of HBA, Canvas Art Consultancy and Meray Akmut a year before the opening of the hotel. I now enjoy sharing my knowledge and love of art personally with guests.
Articolo riprodotto fedelmente nella sua forma originale, per gentile concessione di Raffles Hotels & Resort. Per la versione tradotta in Italiano, si prega di mettersi in contatto con il nostro Team al seguente form o indirizzo mail: info@theluxuryinspector.com.