In Eskişehir’s freezing winter, the perfect time to take refuge in the warm wooden texture of the Odunpazarı Modern Museum (OMM) building, designed by Kengo Kuma, and sit at a table that refreshes the soul. The museum’s new group exhibition Ferahfeza combines the “heart-easing” resonance of its title with humanity’s millennia-old ritual of gathering.
Opening on 29 November 2025 and continuing until 13 September 2026, this selection conceives the table not merely as furniture for eating but as a stage where music, melancholy, love, and social memory are shared.
From Ancient Banquets to Digital Gatherings: A Journey of Memory
Ferahfeza explores the historical and sociological layers of gathering around a table in an interdisciplinary language. The exhibition traces the evolution of our social meeting spaces through these stops:
Ancient Times: The mystical atmosphere of ancient banquets.
Classical Period: The distinctive Ottoman tavern and conversation culture.
Modernity: The glittering and nostalgic gatherings of Republican-era gazinos.
Today: Digital tables established through screens, independent of physical space.
Diversity of Disciplines and the Artist Lineup
The exhibition presents a wide spectrum from painting to sculpture, installation to photography. Nearly 50 artists come together at this “table,” from Fikret Muallâ’s bohemian Paris tables to Ara Güler’s black-and-white Istanbul moments, from Nuri İyem’s earthy peasant portraits to Hans op de Beeck’s enchanting contemporary installations.
“Ferahfeza reminds us of the ease of crowded tables, neighbourliness, and living together, while inviting us to rethink the indispensable place of rejoicing and grieving together in the human condition.”
Why See It?
This exhibition is designed not only to view artworks but to remember the value of being a community, sharing memories, and becoming a “we.” Wandering among OMM’s vertical and horizontal wooden beams, this timeless dialogue stretching from Abdülmecid Efendi to Cevdet Erek makes the viewer forget they are in a museum and feel like part of a vast celebration.
This exhibition is a wonderful route for those wishing to escape winter’s melancholy and feel the warmth of social joy and sharing.
