What's On: New narratives, tiny books and prints, international films, and short takes
A biweekly roundup of art exhibitions, cultural events, and arts and culture news in Istanbul and around Turkey.
Narrative Power Alliance Exhibition at Barın Han
Anyone who has spent time in Turkey will recognize the word that opens this group exhibition: “Arıza.” Meaning “malfunction” or “defect,” it’s often plastered on out-of-order turnstiles or toilet stalls. But by repeating the word over and over on a narrow fabric banner leading into the rest of the show, artist Nejbir Erkol blurs the distinction between arıza and rıza, meaning consent, forcing the viewer to question how societies decide what (and who) is deemed acceptable and how being “broken” can be a form of resistance to that collective expectation. The rest of the exhibition, curated by Alper Turan and Onur Karaoğlu in collaboration with an alliance of queer and feminist advocacy groups, likewise challenges predominant narratives around gender, including Furkan Öztekin’s poetic reimaginings of the archives of a trans activist; Belit Sağ’s video interviews on encounters with censorship; and Cansu Yıldıran’s fractured portraits of members of a feminist Muslim organization.
➡️ ALSO ON VIEW: While at Barın Han, don’t miss the separate Small Pains, Great Songs exhibit organized by PASAJ in the building’s attic floor, featuring an extremely creative array of mini books produced by artists in various techniques.
Exhibitions run until 8/9 February
Boyacı Ahmet Sokak No:4, Çemberlitaş, Fatih
Open Tue-Sun 10am-6pm (Pasaj is closed on Sundays)
International Cinema Selections 🎥
If you’re looking for something different from the latest trending Netflix series, check out these screening series in Istanbul featuring artsy films from around the world. (If not otherwise specified, assume that films will be shown in their original language/s with Turkish subtitles only.)
The Foreigners of the Oscars (to 2 February at Istanbul Modern) – A selection of movies entered in the “Best International Film” category for this year’s Academy Awards. Tickets 220 TL.
Point, Paste-up, Print! (to 2 February at SALT Beyoğlu) – Various documentary films about graphic design and bookmaking. Free.
Art Film Days (25 to 27 January at Yapı Kredi Kültür Sanat) – Films at the intersection of contemporary art and cinema. Tickets 100 TL.
The Matrix series (31 January to 16 February at Pera Museum) – Two screenings each of all four films in the classic cyberpunk series. Tickets 113 TL.
Short Takes: Exhibitions in brief
Billed as a century-long “musical panorama of the Republic’s history,” the memorabilia exhibit Müzik TR100 at Müze Gazhane (ends 31 January; Kurbağalıdere Cd. No:125, Kadıköy; open Tue-Sun 10am-9pm) focuses heavily on the colorful 1960s-90s; the nostalgic trip down memory lane is only narrated in Turkish. Also at Gazhane, the touring Open Press Project (ends 27 February; open Tue-Sun 10am-6pm) exhibition features a cool array of miniature prints made with a 3-D-printed printing press designed to make printmaking more accessible. Trained in classical sculpture and traditional Islamic miniatures, Pakistani artist Hamra Abbas’s beautiful solo show Garden Reimagined at Pilot Gallery (ends 1 February; Sıraselviler Cd. No:85/A, Cihangir; open Tue-Sat noon-6pm) employs centuries-old techniques and semi-precious stones to highlight contemporary climate concerns and marginalized communities. The extensively researched Designer’s Note at SALT Beyoğlu (ends 2 February; İstiklal Cd. No:136, Beyoğlu; open Tue-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm) features some interesting anecdotes and visuals but will primarily appeal to those with a deep interest in graphic design and/or publishing.
Hit the Road 🚗
Selected arts and culture exhibitions and events outside of Istanbul
İZMİR: Photojournalist Fatih Pınar’s In Plain Sight: 25 Years of Testimony, a moving retrospective capturing some of the most significant events in Turkey’s last quarter-century, is now on display at BAYETAV Sanat (ends 23 March; 80. Sokak No:26, Fernand Pagy Köşkü, Bornova; open Tue-Sun 11am-7pm).
ANKARA: Embrace the darkness with a group exhibition predominantly featuring black-and-white photography, Good morning, I’m off to bed! at Ka Space for Visual Culture & Artistic Thinking (ends 22 February; Cinnah Caddesi No:1/B, Çankaya; open Tue-Sat 6pm to midnight).
ADANA: The rich history and culture of the Mesopotamia and Çukurova regions inspire the 40+ artists in the group exhibition Skin of the Earth at the Seyhan Çırçır Art Center (ends 8 February; 55018 Sokak No:4, Seyhan; open Mon-Sat 11am-6pm, Sun noon-6pm).
Cultural News in Brief 🗞
The governor of Ankara banned the screening of a documentary film about Turkey’s first and only LGBTI+ film festival on the grounds that the event "exhibits attitudes and behaviors contrary to societal sensitivities and public morality." Despite the ban, the Pembe Hayat KuirFest (Pink Life Queer Fest) continues this weekend in Ankara; for everyone’s safety, attendees must register and provide a reference from LGBTI+ organizations in order to get the event details.
Recommended Reads 📚
All Eyes on Istanbul Film Series #1: Muhsin Bey – Paul Benjamin Osterlund kicks off a new series on his Flanör newsletter about films prominently featuring Istanbul in different time periods with a look at this 1987 classic.
Power Reclaimed: Generations of Women Rockers From Turkey to the U.S. – For decades, women rockers have rebelled against the patriarchal music industry. Their heritage of reclaiming power continues strong today. by Kenan Behzat Sharpe for Sheer, a new newsletter on music publishing in English and Turkish.
From a Feisty Goddess to Stone Phalluses – Historian and author Bettany Hughes writes for The Guardian about why the neglected, overlooked Temple of Artemis in Selçuk, Turkey, is her personal wonder of the world.
The Tattoo Enthusiasts Keeping a Kurdish Tradition Alive – Kurds in Turkey are believed to have learned the practice of “deq” in pre-Islamic times, but today the art is on the verge of dying out, due to modernisation and religious bans. by Melek Demir for Inside Turkey