Anatolia – located between Asia and Europe – has hosted several civilizations since the ages before history. Most of the oldest civilizations have inhabited this region such as the Hattians, Akkadians, Assyrians and Hittites. After the fall of the Hittite empire, the new states Phrygia and Lydia stood strong on the western coast as the Greek (Byzantine) civilization began to flourish. The new empire was born from the earlier Mongolian advance, the Turks, Seljuk and Ilkhanate. They gradually overran the trading centres of the area under Byzantine influence.

The most powerful Ottoman Empire finally controlled the whole of Anatolia after having conquered Istanbul in 1453. Inhabitants had many religious beliefs, spanning from Judaism and Christianity to Islam. The Ottoman Empire in Anatolia allowed other religions and languages to maintain themselves long after 1453. The blossoming religious following of Christianity was evident in Anatolia during the beginning of the 1st century.

The migration of Turks into Anatolia started in the 11th century. Many Jews immigrated from Spain and Portugal, after the expulsion of Jews and Muslims during the 1492 Spanish Reconquista. It is obvious that this multi-ethnical origin enriches the culture and art originating from this land. We – fourteen Turkish artists – would like to reflect the cultural heritage of Anatolia through contemporary art in an exhibition called The Footprints of the Civilizations in Anatolia.