Alaca a journey that draws from tradition, blends with contemporary design, and gives voice to an ancient craft through a universal language.
The story of Alaca began in 2022 at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, inside a weaving studio. Founded under the guidance of Dr. Esen Baydemir, a faculty member at the university, the collective emerged with the contributions of weaving students and later expanded with alumni joining in. Named after the harmony created when various colors come together without losing their individual essence, Alaca is a collective art movement that forms a meaningful whole from distinct parts. Each member brings their own color, perspective, and story—yet together, they speak a shared language: the art of weaving.
Bridging tradition and contemporary design
What sets Alaca apart is its ability to fuse traditional weaving techniques with modern design thinking. The collective’s mission goes beyond artistic production; it aims to reframe and carry forward the rich cultural heritage of weaving into the future. Each piece produced by Alaca carries the traces of the past while also reflecting future hopes, questions, and narratives. Their works are thus both familiar and refreshingly new.
Fourth exhibition opens in bursa
To date, the collective has held three noteworthy exhibitions: two in Istanbul in 2022, followed by a third in Mardin. Now, Bursa becomes the setting for their fourth show. The latest exhibition opened on April 19, 2025, at the Merinos Textile Industry Museum, hosted by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, and will remain open until May 19. The works on display offer a striking view of how tradition and innovation can intertwine, and how diverse artistic visions can form a cohesive narrative through weaving. For lovers of art and design, it’s an exhibition not to be missed.
Weaving as a universal language
Alaca is more than just an art collective—it’s a mindset, a stance, a language. Here, weaving is not just a material process but a form of expression. And that expression carries the potential to resonate with audiences across the globe.
“We are Alaca!” declare the members of the collective, much like warp and weft threads that come together to form a strong, unified fabric. Each color is meaningful on its own—but when combined, the resulting composition is far more powerful and profound.
