What's on in Istanbul: 27 December 2024
A wild ride through a well-known collection, a newly restored Ottoman pavilion, and other exhibitions and events.
⏰ LAST CHANCE: Suppose You Are Not at Arter
A lamp or even an air vent might actually be an artwork in this wild and wide-ranging exhibition whose salon-style installation emphasizes its thematic preoccupations: death, sex, the frailty and absurdity of the human body and its longings. Drawn from the notably eclectic collection of business magnate Ömer Koç, this is a gleefully disturbing and disorienting show, in which the bizarre is rendered mundane, the ordinary starts to appear strange, the playful seems ominous, and the grotesque is made whimsical.
Exhibition runs until 29 December
Irmak Caddesi No:13, Dolapdere, Beyoğlu
Open Tue-Sun 11am-7pm; admission 200 TL
Restored Tophane Kasrı Opens to Public for First Time
Partially hidden away behind trees, this distinctive green building near the Tophane tram stop was designed by English architect William James Smith in 1852 for Sultan Abdülmecid and was used during official visits to the area’s military facilities. (The multi-domed Tophane-İ Amire building across the street, now an art and cultural center, was a cannon foundry in the Ottoman era; there used to be barracks here as well.) With grand columns leading to the upper floor, the two-story kasrı (which means pavilion, or summer palace) was restored and opened to the public this year for the first time. A small exhibition inside details (in Turkish) the history of the building and the neighborhood; the archival photographs, postcards, and gravures on display are overshadowed by the building’s own baroque architectural details, especially its fine painted ceilings. It’s free to visit until the end of the year, albeit with extremely limited opening hours; no word yet on what access will be like in the new year.
Meclis-i Mebusan Caddesi No:2, Tophane
Open Mon, Wed, and Fri only, 1:30-4pm; free
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More Last-Chance Exhibitions ⏰
As We All Know (through 28 December) – A labyrinthine installation adds to the subtly unsettling feel of photographer Civan Özkanoğlu’s artful images of seemingly everyday scenes. Open 11am-6:30pm at artSümer, Baruthane Deresi Sokak No:32/A, Piyalepaşa.
You&I&It (through 28 December) – Artists explore the relationship between humans, the natural world, technology, and our own animal instincts in this group show. Open
1-6pmnoon-5pm at 5533, Atatürk Bulvarı, İMÇ 5. Blok, No:5533, Fatih.Curiosity (through 28 December) – Accomplished, diverse work by this year’s recipients of support from the Ali İsmail Kormaz Foundation’s Young Artist Fund. Open noon-6pm at Karşı Sanat, İstiklal Caddesi No:108, Aznavur Pasajı, 6th Floor, Beyoğlu.
Snapshots from Istanbul (through 28 December) – A group exhibition of black-and-white street photography. Open 11am-7pm at Arthan Gallery, Kürekçiler Kapısı Sokak, Kurşunlu Han No:47/7, Karaköy.
The Odyssey of Byzantine Studies in Turkey (through 29 December) – Explore the Byzantine layers of Turkey (and how they’ve been uncovered) through archival documents, photos, and videos detailing the development of this field of academic and archaeological study. Open 10am-7pm at ANAMED, İstiklal Caddesi No:181, Merkez Han, Beyoğlu.
Other Events
MUSIC: Telli Davul (27 December) – Anatolian psychedelic folk rock that will get you dancing. Starts at 10:30pm at Bova Jazz Club, Mis Sokak No:17, Beyoğlu.
FESTIVAL: Nahil New Year's Bazaar (27-29 December) – Sixty women's cooperatives from the earthquake region are selling their handicrafts and regional products at this bazaar organized by KEDV, a women's economic empowerment NGO. Galataport Clock Tower Square, Meclis-i Mebusan Caddesi, Tophane.
FILM: Count Us In! (through 29 December) – This Turkish cinema series concludes with English-subtitled screenings this weekend of seven films overlooked by the mainstream. Various times, at Istanbul Modern, Meclis-i Mebusan Caddesi, Tophane Iskele Caddesi No:1/1, Tophane; tickets 220 TL.
MUSIC: No Land (4 January 2025) – Ensemble of Azerbaijani, Iranian, Kurdish and Turkish musicians. Starts at 9:30pm at Blind, Şehbender Sokak No:3, Asmalı Mescit, Beyoğlu; tickets 400 TL.
ART: border_less Editions (through 5 January 2025) – A pop-up exhibition of limited-edition prints and other works produced by artists in collaboration with the border_less platform. Open 11am-7pm Mon-Sat at Galerist, Meşrutiyet Caddesi No:67/1, Beyoğlu.
TALK: Basim Magdy (8 January 2025) – The artist and filmmaker talks with Eda Berkmen at the opening of his exhibition which runs until
18 January8 February. At 6pm at Bilsart, Bilsar Binası, Meşrutiyet Caddesi No:90/A, Şişhane.
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The Latest From Me 🙋🏼♀️
Last year I spent an amazing (if exhausting) eight weeks exploring Turkey’s popular sights and hidden corners alike in order to write two chapters of Lonely Planet’s revamped guidebook to the country, which was finally published this week. Get your copy in print or ebook format and get exploring.
Recommended Reads etc. 🎧 📚
Best of Turkish Music 2024 – Writer and academic Kenan Behzat Sharpe’s epic annual thread of mini-reviews accompanied by a playlist of songs ranging from pop to indie to R&B, electro, and rap.
‘To Cough Was to Risk Death’ – The artist who mapped Syria’s Sednaya prison with testimonies from its survivors describes his working process and asks, what should happen to this monstrous place now? by Lawrence Abu Hamdan for The Guardian.
Artist Inci Eviner Says Qatari Museum Censored Her Work About a 19th-Century Harem – by Alex Greenberger for ARTnews.
Experience: I Graduated From Art School At the Age of 90 – by Miguel Ángel Gallo for The Guardian.