![]() ![]() The seamlessly curated survey of 160 works from the 1960s to the present, installed on five narrow floors connected by a dizzying spiral staircase, reflects the collection’s emphasis on Turkish and regional artists complemented by references to seminal international influences and antecedents. The next morning I toured “Starter” with Baykal and with Melih Fereli, former director of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, whose enthusiasm for and influence on the Turkish cultural scene seems boundless. Now it is so happening-it is like Istanbul is pregnant with something bigger to come.” “In the ’90s people were laughing at us Conceptual artists-art was more decorative. Artist Vahap Avsar recounted why he decided to work in Istanbul again after fifteen years in New York, even though it meant serving a month in the military. In attendance was a gang of exuberant Kurdish artists along with Iraqi artist Mandana Moghaddam, artist Navid Nuur, curator Emre Baykal, and Outlet gallery’s Azra Tüzünoglu. “I would like to contribute something here,” she added, “but it doesn’t make sense for me to do Turkish artists.”Īt a cozy wood-paneled restaurant in the maze of little alleys nearby, there was a dinner in honor of René Block, curator of Arter’s inaugural exhibition, “Starter,” and director of the organization’s Tanas project space in Berlin. The impetus behind the timely show, according to Spirito, was a desire to exhibit artists who are repeatedly cited as influences by other artists. ![]() On the way to the exhibition I was detained on Istiklal by a mob with red flags protesting against the Greek bailout, which made the exhibition resonate all the more. Chris Marker’s timeless film montage Sans Soleil was projected in the darkened quasi-empty room, formerly the URA project space, across from a TV monitor playing Dara Birnbaum’s Cannon: Taking to the Streets, documenting political activism in the States. The next night was the inauguration of “Never Neutral,” curated by Mari Spirito and November Paynter at the Misir Apartments building, home of the Galerist and Nev galleries. Right: Artist Ahmet Ogut and Rampa's Özkan Cangüven. Left: Curator November Paynter, artist Cevdet Erek, and curator Mari Spirito. “I don’t think Ömer will feel up to attending the Arter opening-they were very close friends.” “The Turkish art world is in shock,” he said. Over lunch at a new designer mall nearby, surrounded by the company’s towers, Sevda informed me of Sotheby’s vice president Ali Can Ertug’s tragic death the day before. On Wednesday I visited the Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art, founded by developer Can Elgiz and his wife, Sevda, with a permanent collection that ranges from paintings by Fahrelnissa Zeid and her son, Nejad Devrim, to images stitched by Ramazan Bayrakoglu and Tracey Emin as well as Jan Fabre’s beetle-studded 1993 sculpture Wall of the Rise of Angels. The private sector here has been the key to promoting contemporary artists: Siemens Sanat is sponsored by the eponymous conglomerate, Platform Garanti was initiated by the Garanti Bank, the Istanbul Modern was founded by pharmaceutical company Eczacibaşi, and the Istanbul Biennial is currently being funded by Koç Holding. Located on the bustling pedestrian Istiklal Street, which runs from Galata Tower to Taksim Square, the foundation’s elegant historic building reflects the influence of the Koç family, owners of the largest conglomerate in the country as well as the first private cultural institution, the Sadberk Hanim Museum. The occasion was the highly anticipated inauguration on May 7 of the new Arter space, a showcase for the Vehbi Koç Foundation’s contemporary art collection and a platform for artistic production launched by scion Ömer Koç. I THOUGHT ROME was the most beautiful city in the world, but then I saw Istanbul. Right: Artist Cengiz Cekil and curator René Block. Left: Arter building night before the opening. ![]()
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