Between Tompouce and Baklava
Between Tompouce and Baklava is a multidisciplinary project centred around the stories of the first generation of Turkish guest workers. The invaluable contribution of Turkish migrant workers to Dutch culture and society, as well as to the relationship between Turkey and the Netherlands, deserves recognition and celebration.
Together with his team, Emin Batman explores through a documentary and an exhibition how Turkish guest workers experienced life in the Netherlands. What did it feel like to emigrate to an ‘unknown’ country? What challenges did they face? What has become typically Dutch about them over time? Which values have they embraced from Dutch culture? And what life lessons have they learned?
The team considers the final question particularly important to explore.
Dinner at the Mayor’s Official Residence Celebrating 60 Years of Turkish Labour Migration
Studio Batman was commissioned by the City of Amsterdam to provide the artistic direction and hosting for a dinner at the Mayor’s Official Residence, held in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Turkish labour migration to the Netherlands. This special occasion not only marked the anniversary, but also coincided with the celebration of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary and 100 years of diplomatic relations between Turkey and the Netherlands.
With an eye for detail, Studio Batman and its team carefully curated every element of the evening — from the tulips on the tables to the Baklouce, a culinary fusion of baklava and tompouce, and the carefully selected music performed on the kanun by musician Çağlar Fidan.
Studio Batman would like to express its special thanks to Nazmi Türkkol, member of the executive board of Amsterdam Nieuw-West; Burak Ersoy, Consul of Turkey in Amsterdam; Titus F.P. Kramer, Honorary Consul of Turkey in the Netherlands; and all the guests in attendance for their contribution to this meaningful evening.
The dinner brought generations together — young and old, from the first to the third generation of Turkish Amsterdammers — and served as a tribute to the city’s rich diversity. The stories shared around the table will also serve as inspiration for Studio Batman’s upcoming exhibition at the Van Eesteren Museum in the summer of 2025, which reflects on the history of Turkish-Dutch migration through personal stories and cross-cultural architecture.
