What's on in Istanbul (30 November 2024)
A regular roundup of selected events and news in the worlds of art and culture, mostly in Istanbul but also elsewhere in Turkey and beyond
The Beginning of the Memory at ARK Kültür
If you think you’re seeing birds everywhere you turn inside this gallery space, it’s no coincidence: the title of the exhibition refers to a creation myth describing a time before the beginning of the world when there was no land, only birds flying above an endless sea. The works (not all of them avian-themed) in a wide variety of styles and mediums have been selected from 40 artists to mark the 40th anniversary of Istanbul-based Galeri Nev and are displayed throughout one of the city’s most architecturally pleasing art spaces, a 1940s art deco house in Cihangir.
Ark Kültür
Batarya Sokak No:2, Cihangir, Beyoğlu
Open 10am-6pm ⬅️ ENDS TODAY!
Berka Beste Kopuz: Soil Saves History II at Merdiven Art Space
Following on Osman Bozkurt’s Remember, Merdiven Art Space presents another show that draws on the ever-changing urban environment and the history embedded within it. Curious about an abandoned Ottoman-era hunting lodge near her home, artist Berka Beste Kopuz began researching the past of her Acıbadem neighborhood, findings which she recorded in an artist’s notebook displayed alongside sketches, sculptures, and installation pieces that imaginatively reconstruct some of the lost and crumbling structures, filling in the gaps with bits of the concrete that now surrounds them.
Merdiven Art Space
Meclis-i Mebusan Caddesi, Muran Han No. 31A, Fındıklı, Beyoğlu
Open 11am-7pm ⬅️ ENDS TODAY!
BASE New Artist Platform 2024: What Does Art Do?
Launched in 2017 by art collector/entrepreneur Ali Kerem Bilge as a way to connect students from fine arts universities all around Turkey with the largely Istanbul-based art scene, BASE’s annual show has swelled into a rather unwieldy agglomeration of mini-exhibitions. Swirling around this year’s central presentation of young artists’ works (“BASE 2024”), and not always clearly delineated from it, are art made from corporate sponsors’ products; an encore showing of previously featured works, including a subset now in private collections (“BASELECTED”); student works sponsored by an NGO; and works by young artists from Azerbaijan.
The exhibition spaces in what feel like basement service rooms of the Ritz-Carlton Residences (also owned by a sponsor) are cavernous yet strangely claustrophobic, lacking the character (or public-transport accessibility) of previous venues like the Galata Rum Okulu, Tophane-i Amire, and the Akaretler Sıraevler. With works grappling with family histories, urban change, and violence against women (to name just a few themes), however, BASE remains, as Bilge told me at the start, “a great way to get a picture of how young people see the country and to meet young artists at the beginning of their careers.” All works are accompanied by the artist’s statement in Turkish and English and many of the young artists are at the show to talk with visitors.
The Ritz-Carlton Residences, B Blok, Fulya Entrance
Öğretmen Haşim Çeken Caddesi No.4, Şişli
Open Sat-Sun 11am-8pm ⬅️ THIS WEEKEND ONLY
Also Happening This Weekend
MUSIC: The Away Days (30 November) – Turkish dream-pop band plays the 100% Studio stage at Zorlu PSM. Doors at 8pm, show at 9pm, tickets 500 TL. Zorlu Performing Arts Center, Koru Sokak No. 2, Zincirlikuyu.
ART: PAW Photography Project (30 November) – One for the animal-lovers out there, an exhibition of animal photographs with prints and calendars for sale to benefit causes helping stray animals in Turkey. Opening today from 4-6pm, exhibition runs through 14 December. Walton Gardens Pera Hotel, Hamalbaşı Caddesi No. 22, Beyoğlu.
ART: Critical Shifts Closing Event (1 December) – Final day to see this group exhibition, with a curatorial tour with the artists and Q&A starting at 3pm and a closing party at 5pm. Barın Han, Boyacı Ahmet Sokak No. 4, Binbirdirek, Fatih.
FILM: Red Reminds Me… (1 December) – A selection of short films reflecting the emotional spectrum of living with HIV today, curated by Visual AIDS for World AIDS Day. Free, 5pm. Pera Museum, Meşrutiyet Caddesi No. 65, Asmalımescit, Beyoğlu.
The Week Ahead
FILM: Greek Films Days (3 to 8 December) – A free program of original and award-winning films by Greek auteurs, screened in Greek with Turkish and English subtitles. Pera Museum, Meşrutiyet Caddesi No. 65, Tepebaşı, Beyoğlu.
FESTIVAL: REBLOOM: Post-Migration Spaces and Artistic Encounters in Istanbul (5 to 7 December) – A multimedia festival featuring artists who arrived in Istanbul from all corners of the globe, including live performances and a film screening. Full program to be announced soon. Exhibition open Thursday 4-10pm, Friday and Saturday 11am-7pm. Postane, Camekan Sokak No. 9, Galata.
TALK: Following Miss Bell: İzmir and Beyond (5 December) – Author Pat Yale talks about her book on Gertrude Bell and Turkey. At 2pm. Be Water Coffee and Bookstore, 1389 Sokak No. 2/A, Konak, İzmir. IN İZMIR 🚗
MUSIC: Acid Arab (6 December) – Paris-based musical collective blending electronic, techno, and Middle Eastern sounds. Tickets 1000 TL, show starts at 11:30pm. Blind, Şehbender Sokak No. 3, Asmalımescit, Beyoğlu.
FESTIVAL: Holiday Fairs (7 and 8 December) – Get into the holiday spirit with the Christmas Bazaar at the French Institute (7 December 11am-7pm and 8 December 11am-5pm, İstiklal Caddesi No. 4, Taksim; registration required) and the New Year Bazaar at the Zapyon Greek School (8 December noon-5pm, Meşelik Sokak No. 17), both featuring crafts and edible treats for sale and family-friendly activities. 🎄
MUSIC: Duman (8 December) – Longstanding Turkish rock band known for hits such as "Bu Akşam" and "Senden Daha Güzel.” Tickets start at 700 TL, show starts at 9pm. Volkswagen Arena, Maslak Ayazağa Caddesi 4/A, Maslak.
The Latest From Me 🙋🏼♀️
Turkey’s Queer Art Community Walks a Thin Line – Amid the country’s ongoing crackdown on LGBTQ+ people, queer artists and curators are caught between creative resistance and self-censorship, as I reported for Hyperallergic.
Jennifer Hattam on Istanbul’s Shifting Cultural Landscape – I spoke with William Armstrong of the excellent Turkey Book Talk podcast about the changes I've seen during my almost 17 (!) years in Turkey, the challenges of freelancing, my work on the next edition of Lonely Planet's Turkey guide (out soon), this newsletter, and my obsession with running.
Other Recommended Reads 📚
Palestinian Artists Plan Gaza Biennale to Highlight ‘Life in the Midst of Death’ – Project involves showing work in Gaza but also sending works across Israeli siege lines for exhibiting worldwide. by Malak A Tantesh and Julian Borger for The Guardian.
In Lebanon, Art is a Matter of Survival – Galleries and cultural venues have reopened, but Lebanon still faces canceled international events due to the ongoing war and evacuation orders. by Nada Ghosn for The Markaz Review.
Album Review: BaBa Zula – İstanbul Sokakları – BaBa ZuLa have been playing their glorious swirling, dubby psychedelic Turkish music since 1996. Their new album, İstanbul Sokakları, is a journey through sound and landscape. by Paul F. Cook for Joyzine.
Into the Wild – Fantastic beasts, sprouting chairs and microscopic entropy populate Creatures of Comfort, a group show at Turkey’s Odunpazarı Modern Museum that celebrates our natural impulses. by Ayla Jean Yackley for Canvas.
Embodying Nature: Reflections on 'States of Earth' in Istanbul – With works by eleven contemporary artists, the group exhibition at Yapı Kredi Culture and Arts centres on ecological concerns and the need for equitable resource management. by Alexandra de Cramer for STIR World.
A Curious Soul That Flows Like a River – Artist Hüseyin Aksoy tries to make sense of his existence rooted in southeast Turkey, where he was born and grew up, and to better understand this land once marred by dark passions. by Deniz Bulutsuz for SANAYI313 Paper Magazine.
Writing Distance: James Baldwin in Istanbul – Tired, sick and depressed, James Baldwin first came to Istanbul in 1961. A self-imposed exile, fleeing the racism he felt back home in America, there Baldwin found the distance he needed to finish his 1962 masterpiece ‘Another Country’. by Ramzi De Coster for A Rabbit’s Foot.