Juliette Minchin
1. If you could describe Istanbul in three words, what would they be?
Superstitious, mysterious and impressive.
Fatih, aerial view. Image source: Rijksmuseum
2. What surprised you most about Istanbul?
The world of the hammam. I had never experienced a Turkish bath before. Having the opportunity to do so here for the first time, alone under these starry domes, felt incredibly special. I was discovering the space while also reflecting on the works I was about to create. I felt deeply connected to the place, as if I were listening to its soul.
3. Which traditional craft/craftspeople inspires you the most, and why?
I think it's soap. Its texture is very close to wax, geometric, almost like a block or a brick. During its production, it is poured across large surfaces, becoming part of the architecture, like a second skin.
It also evokes bubbles and foam, carrying a sense of ephemerality and well-being. For this exhibition, I worked in a similar way, continuously melting blocks of wax and tin to shape forms that merge with the architecture.
4. What’s your favorite element of the hamam’s architecture or atmosphere?
The way the “elephant eye” glass openings diffuse light, making the domes appear like a field of stars, almost dreamlike. And the layered frescoes on the walls, especially in the cold rooms.
5. In a hamam, there’s a moment when steam and silence take over—what’s the perfect soundtrack for that experience?
René Aubry’s Mémoire du futur. It is used in Pina Bausch’s performances, when dancers move with water on stage. You can almost hear the resonance of water across the floor. It’s a melody you can listen to on repeat, accompanying a meditative state.
René Aubry - Mémoires du futur
6. A hamam experience is all about slowing down. In a world that moves so fast, where do you find stillness?
In my studio, when I melt wax or light a candle. And when my son falls asleep on me.
Juliette Minchin’s Studio - Paris
7. If you could invite any artist or designer —living or dead—to the hamam for a conversation, who would it be?
Pina Bausch!
Pina Bausch, Nelken (Carnations), Tanztheater Wuppertal, 1982/83.
8. If you could turn one aspect of hamam culture into a wearable art piece, what would it be?
The foam applied to the body. It is created using a cotton net filled with soap and air.
9. If you had to describe your creative practice in three words, which would you choose?
Magic, living and metamorphosis.
Juliette Minchin - Where the River Burns
10. What has been the most unexpected influence Istanbul has had on your artistic practice?
Molybdomancy, which I experienced here for the first time. It allowed me to connect
my work with tin to a form of divination.
