Berlin, Paris, London, Amsterdam… And why not also Istanbul? The four cities mentioned at the beginning of this text have always been considered mandatory stops for art lovers. But the Turkish metropolis stands as another of the main capitals of contemporary galleries. Istanbul exudes history, tradition, and art in each of its corners. Although sometimes it may seem difficult to find an iota of modernity among so many unique alleyways and markets, contemporary has a considerable place in this area of Turkey.
Whether or not you are passionate about
art, you must take advantage of the six proposals we offer you below. Through
these galleries, you will discover an Istanbul that very few know. We hope you
like them!
- Galeri Apel was opened in November 1998
by Nuran Terzioğlu, who previously served as the director of
Ankara Tanbay and Urart Art galleries. Located so close to the Istiklal
Caddesi, this gallery always has a very interesting offer of international
contemporary exhibitions.
- Pi Artworks is an international
contemporary art gallery with two spots: one in London and another one in
Istanbul, in Beyoğlu. This movement was born in
the Turkish city in 1998, but in 2013 they decided to open another gallery
in England. Their goal has always been to offer a diverse program that
facilitates social change.
- Dirimart is an art gallery located
in Beyoğlu and founded in 2002 by Hazel Özil.
Two decades after its opening, it can be said that this is one of the main
contemporary art galleries in the country. Mainly, this space works with
emerging artists from Turkey, something that gives it a special touch, as
it is one of the most local galleries in the metropolis.
- Galerist was founded in 2001 and,
like the other galleries mentioned so far, it is located in Beyoğlu.
In its day-to-day, this gallery acts as a showcase for contemporary,
national and international artists, but from some to time it also
participates in international art fairs.
- Galeri
Nev is one of the most active art spaces in Turkey. It was
founded in 1987, also in Beyoğlu, and since then it has been the house where Turkish
artists such as İnci Eviner and
Murat Morova have made themselves known. In addition to organizing
exhibitions, this gallery has also published books, monographs and art
catalogs.
- X-ist was founded to support
young contemporary artists to produce universal ideas. Located also in
Beyoğlu, this gallery has been one of the main
agents responsible for fostering the growth of the contemporary art scene
in Turkey.
Write down these
contemporary museums too
But these galleries are not everything
for the contemporary art that lives in Istanbul. In addition to visiting these
small spaces, you also have to delve into the contemporary art museums of the
Turkish metropolis. Among all, the most popular is the Istanbul
Museum of Modern Art. Although this museum is currently closed because it is
moving to Karaköy, its opening is
expected to take place in the coming months. This museum was founded in 2004,
with the intention of becoming a meeting point for local and international
artists. Within its walls, you can find all kinds of creative disciplines:
photography, design, architecture...
If you still have time, you can't miss
the IMOGA Istanbul Museum of
Graphic Arts either. This museum is located in Üsküdar and was founded
to facilitate the understanding of original printmaking in Turkey. That is why,
in addition to having exhibitions, they also organize guided tours for schools
or groups.
Likewise, we also recommend you visit Arter, a museum that has
brought up to 35 contemporary art exhibitions to Istanbul between 2010 and
2018. Although it was initially located on Istiklal Caddesi, at the end of 2019
the museum moved to Dolapdere. The building has about 18,000 square meters of
space, in which not only exhibitions are offered, but also performances and
events of any artistic discipline.
Last but not least, Istanbul hast also
de Borusan
Contemporary “a multi-platform
contemporary art institution that supports new art production and art writing
by order”, as described by
the museum on its webpage. Since 2011, it is
focus on international artists who include photography, video, sound, light,
software and data in their art.
