Staying in Istanbul during Bayram is not, contrary to popular belief, a fate worse than death. In fact, those in the know will tell you that – with smaller crowds, less traffic, and half-price public transportation – Bayram is the best time to be in the city. Don’t forget that many of Istanbul’s galleries and museums also remain open over the holidays – so there is no lack of things to do here.  

The Biennial, which has been extensively covered on our website, ends this weekend, so if you haven’t been yet, hurry up and see it. Below are three more recommended exhibitions which are ending soon, courtesy of The Guide’s editorial staff.   

            Mehmet Kutlu / Yeni Hikayeler

The concepts of intertwined paths and rebirth will never fall out of favor in the creative world, whether it in paintings, essays or novels. The world of ceramics, however, is a very fragile and rigid medium that does not easily lend itself to such themes and symbols. Mehmet Kutlu reverses this trend in his exhibition titled Yeni Hikayeler, on display at the prestigious Rezan Has Museum.

The exhibition is an important mixture of outside influence and personal creativity. Kutlu’s work has been shaped by well-known Turkish figures like Yaşar Kemal, Genco Erkal, Gülriz Sururi, Türkan Şoray, Zülfü Livaneli, Sezen Aksu, Fazıl Say, Ayla Argan and Ferzan Özpetek. Gaining its primary inspiration from the birth of caterpillars from cocoons, the display aims to influence the developing, evolving and ultimately reborn nature of artists in the contemporary world. Yeni Hikayeler is an exhibit no one can afford to miss out on, whether they are familiar with Turkish pop culture or not.

Enjoy this interesting exhibition of ceramic/mosaic art at the beautiful Rezan Has Museum, and gain a new perspective on the lives of artists in the limelight!

When: Until November 20

Where: Rezan Has Müzesi (Rezan Has Museum)

How Much: 3 TL; 1 TL (concession)

            Archè

The Belgian artist Johan Tahon will have his exhibit Archè on display at the Tiled Kiosk in the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. The exhibit -- organized by the museum as well as by Galeri Artist's Özil Collection -- will be displayed as part of the 12th Istanbul Biennial. The venue for the exhibit -- the Tiled Kiosk built by Mehmed II as part of Topkapı Palace -- is an appropriate one, as Tahon lives and works for part of the year in İznik, a historical center of tile production in Turkey.

Tahon's ceramic sculptures stand in strong contrast to the order and harmony of the İznik tilework among which they are placed. Human busts dripping with paint as though with blood, with looks of agony upon their faces, with gaping mouths and empty eye sockets, Tahon's creations seems to belong more to the world of Greek Tragedy than to that of Ottoman decorative arts. The title of Tahon's exhibit, Archè, means "beginning" in Greek; the works displayed therein suggest, on the contrary, the end times of the human race.

Anyone attending the 12th Istanbul Biennial should be sure to take a detour to Sultanahmet to view this outstanding exhibit in the Archaeology Museum.

When: Until November 13

Where: Çinili Köşk

How much: 10 TL (Museum admission)

            Cityscale

Munich and Istanbul are two cities that differ greatly in geography, population, infrastructure, history, and culture. Nonethless, these two globalizing cities, linked through generations of cultural interaction, form the basis of a fascinating exhibit entitled Cityscale. The exhibit, accompanied by public installations, videos, presentations and panels, attempts to explore the differences between these two cities through works of art focusing on their exteriors.

The participating artists -- German and Turkish, working in a variety of different media and different disciplines -- include Gülçin Aksoy, Atıl Kunst, Annegret Bleisteiner, Klaus vom Bruch, Carlotta Brunetti, Deniz Gül, Julia Lohmann, Suat Ögüt, Hülya Özdemir, Susanne Pittroff, Michaela Rotsch, Ferhat Satıcı, Robert Stumpf and Yeni Anıt. Don't miss out on this fascinating and highly relevant exhibit.

When: Until November 13

Where: Siemens Sanat

How much: Free