Çelenk Bafra Appointed Artistic Director of Istanbul Modern

Çelenk Bafra, former curator and director of exhibitions and programs at Istanbul Modern from 2011 to 2018, has returned to the museum as the artistic director. 

Çelenk Bafra will work as the artistic director of Istanbul Modern as of 16 September 2024. As Türkiye’s first museum of modern and contemporary art nears the twenty-year mark in history, she will not only oversee Istanbul Modern's art programs, collection, and curatorial practices but also strengthen international projects and collaborations.

Since 2004, Istanbul Modern has welcomed 10 million visitors and provided art education to 1 million children and young people, while the search for a new museum director continues following the opening of its new building designed by Renzo Piano last year. 

Who is Çelenk Bafra?

With 20 years of experience as a curator and director, Çelenk Bafra has conceived numerous exhibitions and art programs across Europe and Türkiye, working with biennials, museums, art funds, and international residency programs.  Bafra studied political science, art mediation, and cultural history in Türkiye and France. Between 2001 and 2010, Bafra worked at the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV), where she served as the director of the Istanbul Biennial and artistic coordinator in international programs such as the Venice Biennale and the Season of Türkiye in France. From 2011 to 2018, she was the curator at Istanbul Modern, where she led the curatorial team as director of exhibitions and programs. From 2018 to 2024, Bafra served as director of the SAHA—Supporting Contemporary Art from Türkiye, while continuing to curate and write. She also hosts and presents a weekly international culture and arts program, “Art from the Exterior,” on Açık Radio. A member of CIMAM and AICA TR, she was appointed a member of the board of directors of the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations (MuCEM) in Marseille by the French Ministry of Culture.