HARBOR

HARBOR

The exhibition focused on "harbor" as a theme of multiple dimensions as the museum occupies a former dry cargo warehouse transformed into a modern museum building right in the area known as the Port of Istanbul. Exploring how port areas were reflected in the visual arts, not only as geographical locations but also as sites of social and economic interaction, the exhibition also delved into the symbolic and metaphorical aspects of the concept of "harbor." Emphasizing the relationship of the city of Istanbul with the sea and ports, "HARBOR" took a close look at the cultural and social life that has developed on the seaside and around ports in the art of Turkey from the nineteenth century to the present.

 

Built on curatorial research in the fields of maritime culture in Turkey, social history, and the visual arts, the exhibition also included a timeline. Summarizing the history of Istanbul through harbors, from archaeological work on the Harbor of Theodosius (Yenikapı) to the present, the timeline highlighted major transformations and turning points in the citys relationship with the sea and ports.

 

The "HARBOR" exhibition catalogue featured texts, quotes, photographs, and visuals about the artists and works in the exhibition, as well as essays in which the curators presented the conceptual framework of the exhibition.

 

Built at the Haliç Dockyards in Istanbul, the vessel Baştarda was designed as part of the project "Darzanà: Two Arsenals, One Vessel" for the Pavilion of Turkey at the 15th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia. It was reconstructed within the scope of the exhibition and is on view in the museum courtyard.

 

 

Artists: Nevin Aladağ, Meriç Algün Ringborg, Hüseyin B. Alptekin, Avni Arbaş, Volkan Aslan, Turgut Atalay, Antonio Cosentino, Darzanà (Feride Çiçekoğlu, Mehmet Kütükçüoğlu, Ertuğ 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, Yasemin Özcan, Serkan Özkaya, Sébah & Joaillier, Arslan Sükan, Hüsnü Tengüz, Cemal Tollu, Selim Turan, Ömer Uluç, xurban_collective (Güven İncirlioğlu, Hakan Topal), Mümtaz Yener, Fausto Zonaro

 

Curators: Çelenk Bafra, Levent Çalıkoğlu

Assistant Curators: Aslı Can, Senem R. Kantarcı