Realised as the Istanbul leg of Ottomans and Europeans: Reflecting on Five Centuries of Cultural Relations project led by Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR) Brussels, Ottomans and Europeans: Pasts and Prospectives exhibition will be held between 4-27 March 2016 at MSFAU Tophane-i Amire Culture and Art Center Single Dome Hall.

Organised with the collaboration of Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) and Cittadellarte-Pistoletto Foundation with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union, the exhibition is curated by Beral Madra and presents the works of Leone Contini, Erol Eskici, Eda Gecikmez, Naci Güneş Güven, Driant Zeneli and Mary Zygouri, which will be on view free of charge. During June and July 2015, the exhibition artists came together for an artist residency programme named "Blind Date Sessions" in Cittadellarte-Pistoletto Foundation's centre in Biella, where they had the opportunity to build theoretical collaborations and dialogue with senior participants Gülçin Aksoy, Ergin Çavuşoğlu, Güven İncirlioğlu, Adrian Paci, Michelangelo Pistoletto, and Igiaba Scego. The works to be featured are the artistic outcomes of these encounters.

Since 2012, the Ottomans and Europeans: Reflecting on Five Centuries of Cultural Relations project proposes a journey through five centuries of shared cultural history between Europe and Turkey to change perceptions of citizens and artists from both sides. Partners of the project are Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR) Brussels from Belgium, Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) from Turkey, National Museum in Krakow from Poland, Cittadellarte-Pistoletto Foundation from Italy, Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna from Austria, and Witte de With for Contemporary Art from The Netherlands. The project partners organise exhibitions, conferences and artist residencies in various locations.