Istanbul Modern’s new exhibition focuses on “harbor” as a theme of multiple dimensions a s the museum occupies
a former dr y cargo warehouse transformed into a modern museum building right in the area known as the Por t of
Istanbul. Exploring how por t areas are reflected in the visual ar ts, not only as geographical locations but also as
sites of social and economic interaction, the exhibition also delves into the symbolic and metaphorical aspects of
the concept of “harbor.”Emphasizing the relationship of the city of Istanbul with the sea and por ts, “HARBOR”
takes a close look at the cultural and social life that has developed on the seaside and around por t s in the ar t of
Turkey from the nineteenthcentur y to the present.
Built on curatorial research in the fields of maritime culture in Turkey, social history, and the visual ar ts, the exhibition
also includes a timeline. Summarizing the history of Istanbul through harbors, from archaeological work
on the Harbor of Theodosius (Yenikapı) to the present, the timeline highlights major transformations and turning
points in the city’s relationship with the sea and por ts.
Ar tists: Nevin Aladağ, Meriç Algün Ringborg,
Hüseyin B. Alptekin, Avni Arbaş, Volkan
Aslan, Turgut Atalay, Antonio Cosentino,
Darzanà (Feride Çiçekoğlu, Mehmet
Kütükçüoğlu, Er tuğ Uçar), Hasan Deniz, Cevat
Dereli, Abidin Dino, Burhan Doğançay,
Feyhaman Duran, Mıgırdiç Givanian, Ara
Güler, Nedim Günsür, Nuri İyem, Özer
Kabaş, Borga Kantürk, Gülsün Karamustafa,
Volkan Kızıltunç, Muhsin Kut, Mıgırdiç
Melkon, Ya semin Ö zc an, S erkan Ö zkaya, S ébah & J oaillier, A r slan S ükan, H üsnü Tengüz, C emal Tollu, S elim Turan,
Ömer Uluç, xurban _ collec t ive (Güven İncir lioğlu, Hakan Topal), Mümt a z Yener, Faus to Zonaro Curated by Çelenk
Bafra and Levent Çalıkoğlu, asisstant-curated by Aslı Can and Senem R. Kantarcı, “HARBOR” can be seen at Istanbul
Modern between 28 January-4 June.
