Art Exhibitions in Istanbul

Gokce Nacar

Aug 30 1373 read

Art Exhibitions in Istanbul

In Europe, Istanbul is one of the hottest cultural destinations at the moment. The galleries in this city, which is sometimes referred to as a bridge between Western and Eastern culture, showcase some of the most intriguing artists from Turkey and beyond. To celebrate the upcoming 21st Istanbul Biennial, we take a look at Istanbul's best contemporary art galleries and some of its most notable previous shows.

Istanbul Biennal

The Istanbul Biennial's aim is to transform Istanbul into a meeting place for artists and spectators from various cultures in the visual arts field. The Biennial, which has been held every two years since 1987, brings together new advances in the visual arts and showcases them to its audience of art enthusiasts. The Istanbul Biennial, like the Venice, Sao Paulo, and Sydney Biennials, is well-known and respected today. Artists from Turkey and across the globe flock to the city for the festival, which plays a major role in bringing globally renowned personalities and performances to the city. As part of the Biennial, art students and tourists will have the chance to attend exhibits, discussions, conferences, and workshops that will help them better grasp contemporary creative advances and significant debates that are taking place in the art world today.

Dialogue in the Dark

Over 30 nations and 130 locations have hosted Dialogue in the Dark since its debut in 1988. Dialogue in the Dark has been experienced by more than seven million people across the globe, and thousands of blind guides and trainers have found work as a result of Dialogue in the Dark's success. "Dialogue in the Dark" takes place in specially built dark chambers in which smell, sound, wind, temperature and texture communicate the qualities of everyday settings like a park, city or bar. Blind guides accompany parties around the rooms. People who are able to see are taken out of their comfort zone. Those who can't see provide blind people a feeling of comfort and direction by showing them a world without images. Even though the tour only lasts for approximately an hour, the impacts may last for a long time. Istanbul is the first place in Turkey where this unique event has taken place. There's an unique exhibition space near Gayrettepe Metro Station where you can see Dialogue in the Dark Istanbul.

Arts of Book and Calligraphy Collection

This collection contains more than 200 examples of illuminated Korans and prayer books, as well as calligraphic compositions, albums, and panels written by well-known calligraphers. It also contains illuminated official documents bearing Ottoman sultan's imperial cipher, as well as calligrapher's tools. Aiming to promote ancient arts, SSM also features modern artists' work that is really distinctive. As part of the new collection presentation, guests are greeted with a calligraphic composition alluding to Ahmet Oran's 2005-2006 calligraphy exercises. Ataman, Turkey's most famous modern artist, uses his film to remind viewers of the traditional calligraphic mirror composition known as müsenna or anali, revealing the exhibition's connection to contemporary art. The Arts of the Book and Calligraphy Collection Special Exhibition Catalogue is also available in Turkish and English for those who want to study it in depth. During the exhibition, a documentary video, produced in cooperation with Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University and the Sakip Sabanc Museum, one of many museums and historical places in Istanbul that seeks to educate visitors about the arduous creation process of manuscript books.