Demet Müftüoğlu

Demet Müftüoğlu Eşeli (born 1974) is a Curator, Creative Director and the co-founder of ISTANBUL’74.[1][2][3][4][5] Since 2010, she has been the Creative Head of Istanbul International Arts & Culture Festival[6] (IST. FESTIVAL) which she co-founded with Alphan Eşeli.

Background & Early Life

Demet Müftüoğlu-Eşeli studied Business Administration at Bilkent University, followed by a move to New York where she studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology.[7]

Between 2000-2012, Müftüoğlu Eşeli has worked as a creative consultant at the Vakko. In 2000,[2] she conceptualized and developed Turkey’s first multi-brand concept store V2K Designers.

In 2007, she has collaborated with Grand Classics to present a film screening ceremony hosted by Daniel Day-Lewis and organized the International Herald Tribune Luxury Conference held in Istanbul and hosted by Suzy Menkes.

In 2010, she commissioned Rex Architecture P.C. in New York to create the new Vakko HQ building.

ISTANBUL’74 and Career

In 2009, Müftüoğlu-Eşeli co-founded ISTANBUL'74 with her husband Alphan Eşeli, an independent platform that has been organizing cultural events[8] festivals, exhibitions[9] and artistic collaborations[10] with creative thought leaders[11] from around the world.[12] ISTANBUL’74 has collaborated with leading international galleries such as Lehmann Maupin[13] Gagosian[14] , Hauser and Wirth[15] as well as designers and artists including Sandro Kopp[16] Tracy Emin, Alex Prager, Angel Otero, Robin Rhode, JR, Idris Khan, Jonah Freeman & Justin Lowe, José Parlá, Inez & Vinoodh, Anton Corbijn, Defne Koz, Kezban Arca Batıbeki, Mehmet Ali Uysal, Diana Al-Hadid, Delfina Delettrez, André Saraiva, Robert Montgomery[17] Stephen Jones, Sandro Kopp, Waris Ahluwalia amongst others.

The same year, Müftüoğlu-Eşeli established ‘74STUDIO Creative Agency.

In 2010, Müftüoğlu-Eşeli co-founded the Istanbul International Arts and Culture Festival, (IST. Festival)[18] with Alphan Eşeli[2][4][19] It is an annual, three-day festival that offers a hybrid program of panels and talks, exhibitions, workshops, screenings, and performances that aim to establish and forge cultural and artistic relations, by bringing together[20] some of the world's most talented and creative minds.

In 2020, Müftüoğlu-Eşeli founded ‘74ESCAPE Gallery & Store, a shop for handmade ceramics.

References

  1. ^ BARIŞ, Aslı. "Zamansız ve sade". www.hurriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  2. ^ a b c Kate Havard (July 21, 2014). "Cool Istanbul: Bright young things of the Bosphorus". The Weekly Standard. Washington D.C. Archived from the original on August 18, 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  3. ^ "A New Yorker Festival on the Bosphorus?". BLOUINARTINFO. 1 June 2012. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Turkish Delight". W Magazine. September 2012. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  5. ^ "DEMET MUFTUOGLU ESELI". Style Map. Archived from the original on 2 September 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  6. ^ Magazine, Wallpaper* (2010-06-29). "'Istancool' cultural festival to open in Istanbul". Wallpaper*. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  7. ^ "Kandilli'de alt katı New York üst katı İstanbul olan bir ev!". Emlakkulisi.com (in Turkish). 16 October 2011.
  8. ^ Magazine, Wallpaper* (2015-05-27). "Hollywood glam: Alex Prager takes on Istanbul's Arts and Culture Festival". Wallpaper*. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  9. ^ "Watch How José Parlá Creates His Abstract Mixed-Media Artworks". HYPEBEAST. 2019-10-10. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  10. ^ Cavanagh, Alice (2016-06-15). "A Fendi Family Trip to Istanbul". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
  11. ^ "the entitled punk maharaja waris ahluwalia of house of waris at ISTANBUL '74". designboom | architecture & design magazine. 2012-10-21. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  12. ^ Binlot, Ann. "Istanbul74 Opens Robert Montgomery's First Solo Show In Turkey". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  13. ^ "Istanbul '74 Presents Sandro Kopp - There you are - Exhibitions - Lehmann Maupin". www.lehmannmaupin.com. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  14. ^ "Kült İkili İstanbul'da". Vogue (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  15. ^ "George Condo: Drawings For Distances Figures". ISTANBUL'74. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  16. ^ "STILL TIME TO CATCH : ISTANBUL'74 presents Sandro Kopp's 'Mediated Presence Skype Portraits & Animal Companions" Exhibition". FAD Magazine. 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  17. ^ "Robert Montgomery, Türkiye'deki ilk kişisel sergisini gerçekleştiriyor". www.ntv.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  18. ^ "A Trailblazing Arts Festival Changing Global Perceptions of Turkey". GOOD. 2015-05-21. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  19. ^ David Peisner (May–June 2012). "Istancool 2012". Departures. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  20. ^ Özedincik, Sinan (2014-07-21). "Turkey hopes to export festivals". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 2022-02-22.