Between Tompouce and Baklava - 750 year Amsterdam
Between Tompouce and Baklava is the first solo exhibition by Studio Batman, led by interdisciplinary artist and designer Emin Batman, in collaboration with curators Hale Albayrak and Havva Mayalizade. Following years of research into the history of Turkish labour migration in Amsterdam, the exhibition serves as the culmination of this work, marking the 60th anniversary of the labour migration agreement between Turkey and the Netherlands.
At the heart of the exhibition are two iconic desserts from Dutch and Turkish cuisine, the tompouce and the baklava. As playful yet powerful metaphors, these delicacies represent the intertwined experience of belonging. In this way, the exhibition celebrates the richness that cultural diversity can bring.
Through architecture, design, sound, and spiritual symbolism, the exhibition makes the layered narratives of migration visible. Visitors are invited to reflect on how notions of ‘home’ and ‘homeland’ are redefined, how traditions are reshaped, and how hybrid identities are formed across generations.
The exhibition takes place at the Van Eesteren Museum, located in one of Amsterdam’s historically most diverse neighbourhoods. This setting creates a dialogue between the exhibition and its spatial context. The exhibition not only highlights a pivotal moment in Dutch-Turkish migration history, but also contributes to the city’s commemorative initiatives surrounding Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary.
Through Between Tompouce and Baklava, the city itself is transformed into a living archive and an even more dynamic meeting place of cultures.
