Culture remains a field for power struggles as AK Party marks 10th year PM Erdoğan calling sculptor Mehmet Aksoy?s ?Monument to Humanity? (on the left) in the eastern Turkish province of Kars a ?monstrosity? resulted in the monument being demolished in 2011 by the local municipality, while the premier?s remarks earlier this year on his … Read more
Çanakkale Biennial questions present problems, myths of the past “Pledges for a Safe Passage” by Kalliopi Lemos The third international Çanakkale Biennial, currently being held on the eastern shore of Turkey’s Dardanelles Strait, is calling on art lovers to explore the complex webs of the political, social and economic situation in the contemporary world through … Read more
İstanbul Pavilion at Shanghai Biennale highlights globalization, past and present Pictured are screenshots from the video project ?Exquisite Corpses,? which features the work of 20 artists and is presented at the Bandung Pavilion at the Shanghai Biennale. A display of artwork related to İstanbul at China’s ninth Shanghai Biennale highlights the pervasive interconnections of globalization … Read more
Mardin Biennial invites art lovers to do a ?Double Take? on life and art The Tokmakçılar Konağı is the main venue for exhibitions in this year?s Mardin Biennial, which continues through Oct. 21 in the southeast Anatolian province of Mardin. (PHOTOS Uğur Aydın) The second Mardin Biennial is calling on both its residents and Turkey?s … Read more
Sinopale keeping collective memory alive through art Exhibit-goers view art installations on display at the Old Sinop Prison as part of the fourth international Sinopale, which runs until Sept. 12 in the Black Sea province of Sinop. (PHOTOS: Today?s Zaman, Bahar Mandan) Located in Turkey?s northernmost tip on the Black Sea coast, the city of … Read more
Curators transform Baltic Triennial into ?Mindaugas? A man poses as ?Mindaugas? (right), the central figure of the 11th Baltic Triennial named after the most common male name in Lithuania. ?A Piece Danced Alone? (center), by Alexandra Bachzetsis, was the opening piece of the 12-day triennial, which runs until Sept. 9 in Vilnius. Defne Ayas (right) … Read more
John Cage gets centenary celebration at İstanbul gallery John Cage John Cage is getting a birthday bash in İstanbul on his centenary. The Kuad Gallery in the city?s Beşiktaş district is continuing its ongoing focus on the past 50 years of contemporary art with an exhibition celebrating the 100th birthday of the late composer, who … Read more
Panel discussion becomes artistic town-hall meeting at İstanbul Modern Artist Bubi Hayon?s work that was removed from İstanbul Modern?s auction night titled ?Gala Modern.? A panel discussion at the İstanbul Modern Museum of Art earlier this week turned into a major debate on censorship and the state of contemporary art in Turkey after the … Read more
Tayfun Serttaş opens artistic, sociological treasure to public Artist/ researcher Tayfun Serttaş photo: Turgut Engin A new exhibition by Tayfun Serttaş at the recently opened SALT Galata art center in İstanbul’s Karaköy district offers a fascinating visual exploration of five decades of life in mid-20th century İstanbul from the perspective of a Beyoğlu photo studio. … Read more
Burak Arıkan maps social relations of art world in Turkey As with so many of the other institutions and social networks that shape our lives, most of us tend to take the art world as a natural fact, something that is just there. But, just like other social realities, the art world, too, … Read more
Köken Ergun and the art of anthropology Artist Köken Ergun- photo: Kürşat Bayhan The first extensive solo exhibition by Turkish artist Köken Ergun, whose videos are uniquely informed by both anthropology and empathy, is currently on display at Kunsthalle Winterthur in Zurich. Ergun?s work explores many separate but closely intertwined social issues, from … Read more
Susan Hefuna exhibition questions symbolism of space Egyptian-German artist Susan Hefuna?s creative investigations into the relationship between public and private space are currently on display at the Pi Artworks gallery in the Mısır Apartment building on İstanbul?s İstiklal Street. Hefuna, who uses a diverse array of mediums to explore the contours of space, as … Read more
Sefer Memişoğlu exhibition creates new dimension of sensation A video still from “Rendering Rome” The first solo exhibition in Turkey from Turkish artist Sefer Memişoğlu, delving into the concepts of sensation, authority and violence, is currently on display at Gallery Non in İstanbul?s Tophane quarter. Titled ?Matters of Fact,? the show that runs through Oct. … Read more
William Kentridge puts politics of the absurd on stage South African artist William Kentridge will stage his unique performance work ?I am not me, the horse is not mine,? exploring the themes of violence, absurdity and identity at Garajistanbul this Thursday as part of this year?s iDANS İstanbul International Contemporary Dance and Performance Festival. The … Read more
The secret artistic life of a Yeşilçam bad guy Artist Banu Cennetoğlu has uncovered late actor Masist Gül?s archive, which is on display until Nov. 8 at BAS in İstanbul?s Karaköy quarter. Although most Turks would not recognize the name Masist Gül, he is nonetheless a familiar face in Turkish cinema. As an actor … Read more