A recent example of this was the classical music concert that was held on Monday, May 7th at the construction site of Nef Offices 05 in Levent. The soon-to-be plaza’s construction site was home to an orchestra that played pieces by Bach and Mozart to the public’s amazement. The event, which was free and open to the public, was received very well by the crowd of professionals working in nearby offices. In addition to those who came to the construction site to watch the concert up close, there were many who were watching from within the offices of nearby buildings.

During Monday’s concert, it was not just the music but the idea behind the event that made the extraordinary lunch break so special. The concert was organized in order to try and make up for all the unpleasant construction noise that’s been polluting the area for the past few months. We sure hope to see more examples like this in Istanbul.

Other designers who showed their collection include Tuvana Büyükçınar, Niyazi Erdoğan, Erol Albayrak, Nejla Güvenç,Cengiz Abazoğlu, Mehtap Elaidi, Özlem Kaya, and Arzu Kaprol. There were also several mixed shows, giving younger and up-and-coming designers a chance to showcase their collections.

There was a lot of buzz surrounding Atıl Kutoğlu’s opening night show, thanks in no small part to model Lizzie Jagger (daughter of Rolling Stone’s Mick Jagger) and singer Jermaine Jackson taking the stage to model Kutoğlu’s designs. Kutoğlu has gained an international following with his designs, and this collection once again featured his trademark sexy and hyper-feminine looks, with lots of leather, satin, and plunging necklines, with feathers and geometric rhinestones adding embellishment.

Gamze Saraçoğlu’s show started with sound of footsteps crunching in the snow and panting, which then turned into a beat. The first model appeared on the runway in a long and tight teal green dress, with a deep open V-neck and equally plunging neckline at the back. The sole embellishment was a brown leather belt, an outfit that set the tone for the rest of the collection. The colors started with deep teal green, then deep orange, neutral plaids, poppy orange, camel, and finally cream, all accentuated with brown leather belts and straps,and fur trim on collars, arms and even hips.

Many of the pieces in Saraçoğlu’s collection featured intricate paneling, while the sharp tailoring and use of gold buttons gave many of the outfits a military or equestrian feel. This collection had a lot of long tight dresses, with many of the looks serving as a departure from Saraçoğlu’s previous works. While Saraçoğlu has used paneling in the past, it was never with such geometric shapes. Some of the strongest pieces in the collection were outerwear, such as a grey wool coat with a brown leather belt and arm straps, and another similar hooded version, with fur finish around the sleeves, pockets, and hood.

Another standout collection was presented by SimayBülbül, the local media darling who is known for her work with leather and monotone neutral colors. Her Winter 2013 show reflected a change in direction for the designer - the silhouettes were much more refined and ladylike than what we are used to seeing from Bülbül. While her signature leather was still present, there was now also a lot of satin, fur, and sequins, creating a very retro look reminiscent of the 1930s. Indeed this collection was a lot more glamorous in a more traditional sense, with Bülbül taking her inspiration from Keriman Halis Ece, the Turkish fashion model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Turkey in 1932 and passed away earlier this year.

All in all, last week’s IFW was an important step in Istanbul’s fashion evolution, establishing Turkish designers yet again as talents to watch out for.

The next Istanbul Fashion Week will take place between8-11February 2012, showcasing the 2013 Fall/Winter collections of a number of Turkish designers and ready-to-wear brands.

The 4-day marathon will kick off with Gamze Saraçoğlu at the IFW Tent in Odakule (at the parking lot of the TRT Building in Tepebaşı), followed by Berinza, Tuvana Büyükçınar, and Atıl Kutoğlu. The first day will end with Zeynep Erdoğan and Günseli Türkay’s show at the W Hotel. The second day will start off with a group show (Nihan Peker, Beste Gürel, and Tuba Benian) at the IFW Tent, and continue with Simay Bülbül, Özlem Kaya, and end with Niyazi Erdoğan’s show at the W Hotel. Erol Albayrak will kick-start the shows on the third day, followed by Studio Kaprol and adL + Cengiz Abazoğlu. A workshop by Machka will also be held on the day for those interested in hearing the brand’s story from its owners. On the final day of IFW, the catwalk will host a group show (Şafak Tokur, Çiğdem Akın, and İpek Arnas), followed by Nejla Güvenç, Avva, Mehtap Elaidi, and Giovane G. Designers.

To see the complete catwalk schedule, click here.

The categories for the films in !f Istanbul are different every year; this year’s categories are as follows: !f Inspired, Hit Films, !f Music, Fantastic Films, People Power, Rainbow Films, Home, Trip, e-xperiments, !f Cult, Insomnia, !f Special Screenings, ACID 20BDay, Spotlight on Sundance, and !f Shorts.

Highlights of the festival include UK filmmaker James Marsh’s 2011 documentary Project Nim, about the famous signing chimpanzee Nim Chimpsky; Tamer Ezzat, Ayten Amin, and Amr Salama’s Tahrir 2011: The Good, the Bad and the Politician, about last year’s political upheaval in Egypt; past films by award-winning directors like Thailand’s Apichatpong Weerasethakul; and many more.

The eight films in the !f Inspired category, all by emerging directors, will also be in competition for a prize for Most Inspired Director, judged by a jury consisting of Turkish director Yeşim Ustaoğlu, film critics Andrea Picard and Mark Adams, critic/director Jonathan Caouette, and Egyptian actor/activist Khaled Abol Naga; the winner will receive a prize of $15,000.

This year the main films in the !f Festival will be screened at the following Istanbul cinemas: AFM Budak Caddebostan, AFM Fitaş (Salons 1 and 4), AFM İstinyePark, and Cinebonus Maçka G-Mall. A full program is available on the !f Istanbul website, along with detailed descriptions of the films being screened. In addition, there will be a series of special screenings, talks, panels, workshops, and concerts over the course of the festival, at various Istanbul clubs, restaurants, galleries, and cultural centers. Information about these events can be found on the !f Istanbul website.

Tickets range from 7 TL to 16 TL, and can be purchased starting February 3rd at www.mybilet.com (where there is a 10\\\\\% early bird discount from the 3rd to the 5th); by credit card starting February 6th at Turkuazzo and most AFM locations throughout the city; and by cash or credit card starting February 11th at the cinemas where the films will be screened (except for Cinebonus Maçka G-Mall, where they will be sold on the day of screening).

AFM Budak Caddebostan; Caddebostan Kültür Merkezi, Haldun Taner Sok. No:11, Caddebostan; P: (0216) 358 02 02

AFM Fitaş; İstiklal Cad. Fitaş Pasajı, Beyoğlu; P: (0212) 345 62 45

AFM İstinyePark; İstinye Bayırı Cad. İstinye; P: (0212) 345 62 45

Cinebonus Maçka G-Mall; Kadırgalar Cad. No.3 Vişnezade Mahallesi, Maçka; P: (0212) 232 44 40

SALT Beyoğlu; İstiklal Caddesi 136, Beyoğlu; P: (0212) 377 42 00

Babylon; Asmalı Mescit Mh. Şehbender Sk 3; P: (0212) 292 73 68

Ghetto; Kamer Hatun Caddesi 10, Beyoğlu; P: (0212) 251 75 01

Kiki; Sıraselviler Cad. No: 42, Cihangir; P: (0212) 243 53 73

Tütün Deposu; Lüleci Hendek Caddesi Koltukçular Çıkmazı No.1, Tophane; P: (0212) 292 39 56

Zencefil; Kurabiye Sok. No:3, Beyoğlu; P: (0212) 243 82 34

This year – the 40th anniversary of İKSV – the festival will feature 23 unique concerts from May 31st to June 29th, at eight different locations. In addition to the Aya İrini Müzesi (Hagia Irene Museum), which has been a venue for the festival since its inception, the concerts will take place at the Haliç Congress Center, the Lütfi Kırdar International Convention and Exhibition Center, the Dutch Consulate, the Süreyya Opera House, Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall, the Rectorate of Istanbul University, and the Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

The special theme for this year’s festival is “Hope and Heroes,” with performances of works like Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto and Eroica Symphony, Strauss’s Don Quixote, and Ravel’s Piano Concerto for Left Hand, specially composed for pianist, WWI veteran, and right-arm amputee Paul Wittgenstein. Another special concert, “Women Heroes of Music,” will feature pieces by female composers both Turkish and international, past and present, from Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn to Sofia Gubaidulina.

Other highlights include world premieres of original works commissioned for the festival: Turkish pianist/composer Fazıl Say’s Mesopotamia Symphony and Georgian composer Giya Kancheli’s New Symphonic Opus. There will also be a concert of pieces by Berg, Bartók, and Liszt by French pianist Hélène Grimaud, who will be making her first appearance at the festival. The festival’s opening concert at the Haliç Congress Center will feature a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony by the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Sascha Goetzel.

The full program of concerts is now available online on IKSV’s website. Tickets, ranging in price from 30 TL to 400 TL, can be purchased from Biletix and IKSV, and will also be available for purchase during the festival at booths on the grounds of the Hagia Irene Museum.

Festival Highlights:

Women Heroes of Music

On June 8, a concert dedicated to pioneering female musicians in Turkey as well as those lighting up the international music scene will take you through the sentimental pieces of Dilhayat Kalfa, Ethel Smyth, Fehime Sultan, Fanny Mendelssohn, Neveser Kökdeş, Leyla Saz, Amy Beach, Clara Schumann, Radife Erten, Lili Boulanger, Sofia Gubaidulina, and Kevser Hanım at the Süreyya Opera House.

Conducted by Hakan Şensoy, the Istanbul Chamber Orchestra will be playing with a female-only cast, consisting of Cihat Aşkın on violin, Cana Gürmen on piano, Şehvar Beşiroğlu on qanun, Neva Özgen onkemenche, Birol Yayla on tambur, İvan Çelak on accordion, and Yaprak Sayar and Pervin Çakar on vocals.

Giya Kancheli: A World Premiere

Pioneering Giorgian composer Giya Kancheli will present the world premiere of his symphonic piece, commissioned by the festival, on June 11 at the Hagia Irene Museum. This concert was supposed to feature the late cellist Benyamin Sönmez, who passed away towards the end of 2011, but will instead be dedicated to Sönmez. The long-awaited symphonic piece will be presented by the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Andres Mustonen. The Warsaw Philharmonic Choir, Georgian countertenor Mamuka Gaganidze, soloist Gidon Kremer on viola, and soloist Giedre Dirvanauskaite on cello will also take part in the concert. The night’s program will include Giya Kancheli’s Diplipito for Cello, New Symphonic Opus, and Styx for Viola.

Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin

On June 16, the Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin, conducted by Sir Roger Norrington, will take the stage at the Lütfi Kırdar Convention & Exhibition Centre with piano virtuoso Hüseyin Sermet, under the “Hope and Heroes” theme of the festival. The night’s program will consist of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s Overture to Ruy Blas, Op.95, MWV M11, Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major, and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony in E flat Major, No.3, Op.55, “Eroica”,which impeccably communicates the idea of heroism through victory and tragedy.

Don Quixote From ISSO & Daniel Müller-Schott

On June 20,the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by ChristophAltstaedt, will perform with Daniel Müller-Schott, the new cello star who frequently performs in the world’s most prestigious festivals. Performed at the Hagia Irene Museum, the night’s repertoire will includeRichard Strauss’s EinHeldenleben, Op.40 and Don Quixote, Op. 35.

Hélène Grimaud

Hélène Grimaud is one of the most prominent pianists of our time. She will perform in Istanbul for the first time on June 22, at the Hagia Irene Museum, as part of the Istanbul Music Festival. Grimaud regularly takes the stage at important international festivals, performs with prominent orchestras, such as the Berlin Philharmonic and the Munich Philharmonic, and collaborates with some of the greatest conductors, including Kurt Masur, Bernard Haitink, and Esa-PekkaSalonen. Due to health issues, Grimaud couldn’t make it to Istanbul in 2006 and 2008, but she is finally here to play Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Sonata in A minor, No.8, KV310/300d, Alban Berg’s Piano Sonata, Op.1, BélaBartók’s Romanian Folk Dances, SZ56, and Franz Liszt’s Piano Sonata in B minor, S178.

A World Premiere by Fazıl Say

Turkish piano virtuoso and composer Fazıl Say will be performing with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Gürer Aykal on June 23 at the Haliç KongreMerkezi. The concert program will consist of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto in E flat Major, No.5, Op.73, “Emperor”, and the world premiere of Say’s Symphony, No.2, Op.38, “Mesopotamia”, which was commissioned by the Istanbul Music Festival. Say will be accompanied by Bülent Evcil on bass flute, Çağatay Akyol on bass recorder, and Carolina Eyck on theremin.

This article was updated on 4 May, 2012.

The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) is celebrating its 40^th anniversary this year with an exciting line up of special performances and projects. Apart from its usual extensive list of festivals, including the film, theatre, music and jazz festivals, IKSV has also planned some special performances and projects to honor this milestone.

IKSV is an independent, non-profit organization founded 40 years ago by 17 businessmen and art appreciators under the leadership of Dr. Nejat F. Eczacıbaşı with the goal of presenting the finest examples of global culture and arts to Istanbulites, and to transform the city into a center for international arts and culture.

IKSV’s first arts festival, then called the International Istanbul Festival, was held in 1973. While the focus was on classical music in the early years, over time and as public interest grew, the festival expanded to include film screenings, theatre productions, jazz and ballet performances, and art exhibitions held in historic venues. Today IKSV organizes four international festivals, two biennials, and many more exclusive events throughout the year. This year IKSV will also introduce Istanbul’s first Design Biennial.

In honor of their 40 year anniversary, IKSV is preparing a special book that will outline IKSV’s transformation and important milestones in its development, as well as memories of the organization. Contributors to the book will include IKSV’s founders, employees, supporters, and artists. There will also be two special events. The first will be a performance by La Furadels Baus, the renowned Catalan theatrical group who will perform the world premiere of their new project “Istanbul, Istanbul” commissioned by IKSV, on June 21 and June 22. The second performance will be held on September 27; the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra will perform at the Haliç Convention Center, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle with internationally-acclaimed Turkish musicians Efe and Fora Baltacıgil partaking in the performance.

In parallel to these events, IKSV will also organize events in honor of the 400^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Turkey and the Netherlands. These will include performances by the Nederlands Dans Theatre group, known as one of the most innovative modern dance companies in the world, on June 14 and 15. There will also be special initiatives throughout the year celebrating “2012 Year of Chinese Culture in Turkey” including a special selection of Chinese films that will appear in the film festival and a performance by the Beijing Opera at the 18^th Istanbul Theatre Festival.

While the initial goal of IKSV was to organize an international arts festival in Istanbul, it is clear from its very long list of achievements and current festivals and events that it has far surpassed this first goal. Looking back over the past 40 years, it is clear how instrumental IKSV has been in putting Istanbul on the global cultural map.

Winners of the free guided tour on 15 January 2012 at 01:00pm:

ALPER UĞURAL

ARDA AYÇELİK

ANN MORGAN

DEMET YILMAZ

DENİZ SEZER

DİDEM YAYA İNCE

DİLEK ÖZKAN

EDA AYDOĞAN

EDA KAMHİ

JANA GROH

JUANI PIQUERAS

KEVIN MERRICK

GÜLRU GÖKER

GÜNEŞ ÖZKAN

İNCİ ÖZAY HATİPOĞLU

LARA KARASO

LESLEY DUDDEN

MAJ-BRITT RIIS-HANSEN

MANJA DENISE KOLLMAN

TÜLİN YALÇINALP

ÜNAL ŞENGÜN

YASEMİN UYGURMEN

YEŞİM OYMAK

YEŞİM TURANLI

SEVGİ DUMAN

Winners of the free guided tour on 22 January 2012 at 01:00pm:

AYŞE GÜLAY HAKYEMEZ

AYŞE YILMAZ

AYŞIL ZERRİN GÜNGÖR

BERİL DİKMEN

BUKET OĞUZ

BURAK ÖZDELİCE

BURCU KARAKELLE

CEREN ÖZOL

CEYDA CEYLAN

ÇİĞDEM ALPAKGİR

ESRA PAMUKSÜZER

EYUO TALİP

İZZETTİN AKÇAY

IRINA GOUT

IŞIL KILKIŞ

KADİR TAYFUN ÖKTEM

MIREL FANSA

ÖZLEM ENGİN

PELİN ATAY KURAN

PELİN ÇALIŞKAN

ROSLYN ELLEN

SELİN ABERA

SELİN KARAOSMANOĞLU

ŞEYDA CET

TUĞBA ESEN

Nişantaşı’s considerable roster of art galleries has now received its newest addition, Studio 9, which officially opened on the 1st of this month. According to owners Sofia Vassalo and Hasan Taştan Yılmaz, Studio 9’s mission is to “allow for an environment of open dialogue and encourage creativity and a higher learning experience.” The gallery plans to feature contemporary artwork in many different media, including sculpture, photography, installation art, films, documentaries, and more. Studio 9 also aims to foster developing talent by focusing on the work of artists who are in the early stage of their careers.

The gallery opens with three concurrent exhibits: a photography exhibit by Canadian artist Jonah Samson, a series of sculptures by the Italian Francesco Albano (displayed both on the gallery’s ground floor and on its basement level) and video footage of a performance by French-Canadian artist Marie-Lou Desmeules which took place live on the gallery’s opening night.

Studio 9;Mim Kemal Öke Caddesi No.11/A; P: (0212) 291 39 92

Now, SALT has a second branch, the newly-opened SALT Galata, located in the historic Ottoman Bank on Bankalar Caddesi in Karaköy. The building, which was designed by architect Alexandre Vallaury, opened in 1892 as the official state bank of the Ottoman Empire. Architecturally, the Ottoman Bank reflects the dual identity of the Westernizing Ottoman Empire, with a neo-Classical facade on Bankalar Caddesi and an Oriental one on the rear face of the building. Though it is no longer actively used as a bank, SALT’s Galata location currently houses the Ottoman Bank Museum, which is devoted to preserving the heritage of this historic financial institution. SALT Galata also features an exhibition space on its sub-ground-floor level; a research library (SALT Research); an auditorium seating over 200 people; an Open Archive; a cafe and a restaurant; workshop spaces; and a bookstore run by well-known Beyoğlu bookseller Robinson Crusoe.

The opening of SALT Galata has also been inaugurated with three new exhibitions: Foto Galatasaray, running until January 22nd; Scramble for the Past: A Story of Archaeology in the Ottoman Empire 1753 – 1914, running until March 11th; and Modernity Unveiled / Interweaving Histories, running until January 22nd. All three exhibitions contain abundant photographs dealing with topics in late Ottoman and early Republican history and society.

For a complete program of activities at both SALT Beyoğlu and SALT Galata, see SALT’s website, http://www.saltonline.org/en/anasayfa

This year’s Sovereign Art Foundation European Art Prize Exhibition will take place in Istanbul, hosted by the the Açık Kapı Sosyal Sorumluluk Derneği (Open Door Social Responsibility Association), with the main sponsorship of the Bay İnşaat 42 Maslak Project. The Sovereign European Art Prize is an annual event dating back to 2005, and features 30 finalists, from whom a single first-place winner is chosen.

This year, the exhibition (curated by Ali Akay) will take place between the 22^nd and 29^th of November at Istanbul’s Hasköy Yün İplik Fabrikası (Hasköy Yarn Factory). Attendees will be able to see the work of all 30 finalists on display; the night of the 29^th, there will be a special Gala, at which name of the winning artist (who will receive a prize of 25,000 euros) will be announced. Following the exhibition, the works of the 29 runners-up will be auctioned off, with 50\% of the proceeds going to the artist, and the rest going to the Foundation for use in its projects benefiting disadvantaged children.

The exhibition is free and open to the public. For information about attending the Gala on the 29th, see the relevant page on the Açık Kapı website.

Hasköy Yün İplik Fabrikası;Kırmızı Minare Cami Sokağı No. 7, Hasköy; P: (0212) 369 88 10

When: November 22 – 29, 10:30 – 6:00 PM

How much: Free

Cantor, a Romanian artist who divides his time between his native Romania and France, is the recipient of numerous awards including this year’s Marcel Duchamp Prize. Known for his ironic, symbolic commentaries on contemporary society and everyday life (in a variety of different artistic media), Cantor is the creator of the video from which this exhibition takes its name.

The Paris-born artist Yto Barrada lives in Tangier, Morocco, where she is the artistic director and co-founder of the Cinémathèque de Tanger. Barrada’s photos and videos, often depicting Moroccan landscapes, people, and everyday objects, have been exhibited at (among others) MoMA, SFMOMA, and the 2007 Venice Biennial.

Mounira Al Solh comes from Beirut, Lebanon. Among her many works addressing the religious and political conflicts of her home country is the 2006 video Rawane’s Song (part of the present exhibition) which won the 2007 VideoBrasil Jury Prize. Al Solh has exhibited at the 2007 Venice Biennial, and is the Editor in Chief of the periodical NOA (Not Only Arabic.)

The witty, often tongue-in-cheek projects of the artistic collective Slavs and Tatars focus on questions of “Eurasian” cultural identity and cross-cultural interaction in a vast region “east of the former Berlin Wall and west of the Great Wall of China.” The group is the two-time winner of the Fernand Baudin Prize (in 2009 and 2010) and has exhibited at many venues including the Sharjah and Thessaloniki Biennials. Among its other projects, the group has taken an interest in republishing the early 20th-century Azeri humor magazine Molla Nasreddin.

Want to tour the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art with a guide? Here is your chance!

Sign up to www.theguideistanbul.combetween 4 November 2011 and 4 January 2012, and enter the draw to win a guided tour of the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art*.

What will the tour cover?

The guided tour of Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, usually referred to as Istanbul Modern, will cover the temporary exhibition Hayal ve Hakikat (Dream and Reality), the photography exhibition Tekinsiz Karşılaşmalar (Uncanny Encounters) as well as the museum’s permanent exhibition Yeni Ufuklar, Yeni Yapıtlar (New Works, New Horizons), which presents the evolution of modern and contemporary Turkish art. The guided tour will be in English, start at 01:00pm, and last for one hour.

When will the tours be held?

One on 15th of January and one on 22nd of January.

How many people will win?

50 people will be randomly selected from all the new users that sign up between 4th of November and 4th of January, and all 50 will win a place in one of the free guided tours.

How will I know if I won?

The winners will be announced on www.theguideistanbul.com on the 6th of January. The winners will also receive an e-mail from info@theguideistanbul.com**.

What do I do if I win?

All you need to do isreply to info@theguideistanbul.com by the 11th of January (if you won the tour on the 15^th of January) or by the 17^th of January (if you won the tour on the 22^nd of January) letting us know whether you’ll be able to make it to the tour. If we don’t get replies by these dates, we will give the tickets to the people on the waitlist.

What if I can’t make it to the tour?

Please let us know at info@theguideistanbul.com if you can’t make it to the tour so that we can give your space to one of the ten people on the waitlist***.

*Signing up to www.theguideistanbul.comis free. You can cancel your free membership at any time by notifying us through here or by sending an email to info@theguideistanbul.com.

**Winners will also receive a letter via mail informing them about the rules and regulations of the museum.

***The tickets issued can only be used by the winner.

The exhibition, which will be running through October 22nd, brings together works from artists based in Istanbul as well as in one of the most historical cities in the United States, New Orleans. Explaining the logic behind this combination, curator Dan Cameron (the Artistic Director for the 8th Istanbul Biennial in 2003) has stated, “Double Crescent examines the art of two great port cities that have channeled European culture into unexpected colors and shapes. Both Istanbul and New Orleans have existed as exotic relics of a colonial past, and both have undergone extraordinary transformations over the past 100 years, which have brought them back from a marginal position to centrality in world culture with completely new identities shaped by the global economy. This exhibition showcases two vibrant scenes of contemporary art that are as yet little known to New York audiences in order to at least partly redress this lack of information and firsthand experience.”

Among the works on display in Double Crescent is a piece entitled The Raft by Generic Art Solutions, a project by New Orleans-based pair Tony Campbell and Matt Vis. The composition of this 2010 work ironically references Géricault’s famous oil painting The Raft of the Medusa, while its details refer to the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill (and perhaps, one can not help speculating, to Hurricane Katrina as well.) Joining Generic Art Solutions is another artist who has also exhibited at New Orleans’s Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, Skylar Fein. Fein’s defiant, provocative works include a piece from his Black Flag series, entitled Black Flag for Herbert Marcuse. Here, a plaster/wood panel has been painted in black and white to resemble a American flag, in which the stripes have been replaced by segments displaying prices in dollars and cents and a running quotation from the famous Frankfurt School philosopher.

The works by Turkish artists at C24, while they may not be as (immediately) accessible in theme as the pieces mentioned above, are no less accomplished. The filmmaker and video artist Gülsün Karamustafa has participated in a number of biennials as well as numerous international film festivals including the Uçan Süpürge Kadın Filmleri Festivali (Flying Broom Women’s Film Festival), the first women’s film festival in Turkey. Karamustafa’s video piece The City and the Secret Panther Fashion, showing a group of five women clad in leopard-skin-patterned clothing, on a bed with leopard-skin-patterned quilt and drapes, is a brilliant reductio ad absurdum of this signifier of liberated sexuality. The alabaster chair-and-footrest pairs of Ayşe Erkmen (whose works have been exhibited at venues like the Venice and Sharjah Biennials) deftly blur the line between aesthetics and functionality.

The show also includes work by US artists Bruce Davenport, Jr., Dave Greber, and Regina Scully, as well as Turkish artists Ali Kazma, Hale Tenger, and Nazım Ünal Yılmaz. The Executive Director of C24 is Kristen Lynn Johnston; its Programming Director is Olivier Fuller; its current Creative Consultant for Turkish Art is Sefa Sağlam; and its Gallery Manager is Caroline Rowley.

Outlet Gallery opened in 2008, aiming to bring contemporary art to the masses, especially the works of Turkish artists whose works have been widely exhibited outside of Turkey but never found a Turkish audience. The need for a larger space and disputes with the landlord led owner Azra Tüzünoğlu to look for a new space. And what she found is surely worth the 16-month construction process.

What is now called Pilot Gallery used to be one of the hippest nightclubs of the 70s. The venue had been out of use for over 30 years when Azra found it. As expected, the venue was a bit of a mess and she was asked multiple times whether they were sure they wanted to buy it. But Azra says, “Even at its worst, this place looked like a beautiful woman with smudged mascara on the morning after.”

Azra says that the reason why they decided to change the name of the gallery from Outlet to Pilot is that Outlet had fulfilled its purpose and that a new name was needed to move forward. The word pilot is written the same way in multiple languages and means the same thing; the word also stands for someone who takes you from one place to the next. Also, a pilot study is the experimental ground of new systems and ideas—just like the innovative Pilot Gallery.

This pioneering venue will not only be a space that showcases artists’ works but it will also be an interactive, social area, a meeting point for exchanging ideas. In fact, Pilot will be launching a digital library through which visitors will be able to access numerous art publications. There are also plans for organizing a variety of workshops, film screenings, and talks.

Even though the main goal of Pilot is displaying artworks and taking an active role in the development of art in Turkey, they also want to answer this question: will there be more interesting works when formerly separate disciplines like literature, cinema, and architecture are brought together with contemporary art?

Now, the venue is almost ready for the gallery’s opening on September 15^th with Halil Altındere’s exhibition called “If I can’t dance, it’s not my revolution.” We would have given you the scoop on what this post-disco gallery looks like but it would spoil all the fun, so we’ll let you check it out yourself.

Istanbul Fashion Week is here with the freshest trends of Spring/Summer 2012 collections. Between 7^th and 10^th of September, Istanbul Fashion Week will revitalize Beyoğlu with Turkish designers and brands that will take the catwalk with their daring and flamboyant clothing lines.

This invitation-only event will include the voguish collections of these creative designers:Aslı Güler, Atıl Kutoğlu, Bahar Korçan, Çiğdem Akın, Deniz Kaprol, Gamze Saraçoğlu, Gül Ağış, Hatice Gökçe, İpek Arnas, Jale Hürdoğan, Mehtap Elaidi, Nejla Güvenç, Niyazi Erdoğan, Özgür Masur, Özlem Kaya, Jean De Art by Özlem Süer, Rana ve Berna Canok, Seda Zoroğlu, Simay Bülbül, Şafak Tokur, Studio Kaprol (Gülcan Ardıç, Beliz Mısırlı, Tolga Turan, Ali Bayramoğlu), and Tuvana Büyükçınar. The tent that will be set up in the TRT Tepebaşı Car Park will be the destination of the glamorous fashionistas who will all flux to the fashion shows of the following 6 brands:Adil Işık, G. Gentile, Koton, Tween, Twist, and Argande.

You can never prepare enough for the scandalous outfits, outrageous make-up, chic fashion shows, skinny models, and the dazzling designs, all of which together will spell out the four days of fashion in Istanbul.

The Hagia Sophia was originally built as an Orthodox patriarchal basilica in the 6th century AD and was a house of Christian worship for 916 years. It was taken over by the Ottomans upon their conquest of Istanbul (then called Constantinople) in 1453, converted into a mosque, and served as a Muslim house of worship for 481 years. Finally, it was converted into a museum by the Republic of Turkey in 1935.

Every tourist knows that the Hagia Sophia Museum is a must-see for any first-time visitor to Istanbul. Butnow, returning tourists have a few more reasons to see the Hagia Sophia again. During restoration efforts to the Sultan’s tomb within Hagia Sophia, the cleanup crew stumbled upon an amazing collection of Ottoman-era clothing underneath the rubble. The outfits are estimated to be over 560 years old and are thought to belong to the people buried in the tomb. A pre-Islamic custom was to place the clothing and turbans of the deceased on top of their coffin. And what have been found are examples of such clothing. While it seems that any sort of artifact with this timeline would need severe maintenance to be on any kind of display, museum officials are of the opinion that the pieces will be on display sooner than initially thought. The plans are to showcase the pieces at the Topkapı Palace after conservation and repairs. The news has been met with open arms from the international community as well. In fact, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has already decided to sponsor the furthering of these restorative efforts!

The Hagia Sophia has yet another secret hidden within its walls. The relics of the Hagia Sophia’s religious past are still as dazzling as ever, and with the removal of some of the restoration materials and construction tools, the icons of the angel seraph are now clearly visible over the east entrance of the museum.

After 17 years of restoration, museum officials are now giving the Hagia Sophia a break while offering visitors and history buffs something to take home with them. During the restoration efforts, the images of the museum walls and décor have all been digitalized, and will be released in the Hagia Sofia Museum Yearbook. Boasting a complicated history of Christian, Islamic, and lastly nondenominational influences, the Hagia Sophia’s walls contain more conflict than many historic buildings would care to admit. Now, visitors can take a bit of the museum home along with them and view it whenever they wish.

A similar advancement has been made in the area for those desiring a bit of Ottoman experience for themselves. The sly Hürrem Sultan was famed as the wife of Süleyman the Magnifient, and became sort of a legend for being among the few women who had a voice in affairs of the Empire. Now, the Hürrem Sultan Hamam is finally open after three years of restoration efforts—but not for sightseeing purposes. For those wishing to bathe like the coy sultan once did, the hamam will be open as a fully-functioning traditional Ottoman hot bath, with all the experiences and details that its inhabitants would have enjoyed in its prime. You can even host special events like bridal hamams and parties. With cobblestones covered in gold and authentic carpeting and marble floors, Hürrem Sultan would have been proud to see her territory glorified years after her departure from the Topkapı Palace. Open until midnight every day of the week, there’s not a bad time to take a soak and feel the satisfying effects of the Turkish bath.

The work of several Turkish artists will be on sale at the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) gift shop from May 12 to June 30 as part of their ‘Destination: Design’ series, which introduces designers and design themes from around the world. ‘Destination: Istanbul’ will carry 100 products from 25 young Turkish designers, made exclusively for the MoMA design shop.

Pieces will include decorative objects, jewelry, and many other household and gift items. The inspiration behind the pieces is Istanbul itself and the city’s unique position as a meeting point between East and West, old and new. Istanbul’s rich history and Ottoman and Byzantine heritage have served as an inspiration to the artists who have created a range of contemporary pieces. (www.momastore.org)

The designers who will showcase their work at MoMA store are as follows:

"İstanbul Dresses, Ali Bakova, Alev Ebuzziya Siesbye, Arda Tunçman, Ömer Ünal, Aida Pekin, Aysun Altındağ ve Meltem Maralcan, Bahadır Baruter, Mehtap Obuz, Berra Alkan, Burcu Akbulut Onur, 2mikrop, Demir Obuz, Elif Özsezen, Ela Cindoruk, Emir Uras, Erdem Akan, Fabio Ricci, İz, Kamer Foundation, Koray Özgen, Leyla Taranto, Tan Mavitan ve Urart, Kunter Şekercioğlu, Maybe Design, Münire Kırmacı, Nil Deniz, Alper Böler, Ottoman Jewelry, Oya Akman, Özlem Ölçer, Özlem Tuna, Sabrina Fresko, Sadi Tekin, Selin Okçu Büyüksoy, Sema Obuz, Sezgin Sander, Soner Özenç, Sultan Ragbet."

SALT is an innovative new institution that has recently made its debut on Istanbul’s arts scene. A non-profit organization funded by Garanti Bank, SALT has ambitions of becoming Turkey’s largest cultural institution. According to SALT Research and Programs Director Vasıf Kortun, SALT does not want to be boxed into any specific category, but instead transcend such categorization. It is not a museum, art or architectural institution, research facility or gallery, but a venue that stands for innovation. Working in conjunction with the greater changes that are currently taking place in Istanbul’s arts scene, SALT will host exhibitions and conferences, engage in interdisciplinary research projects, and will also open its library and archives for public use.

Garanti Bank initially established SALT in 2006 when it decided to amalgamate three existing institutions, Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center, Garanti Gallery, and the Ottoman Bank Archives and Research Center, all of which are now joined under SALT. The word salt means simple or pure in Turkish, and Garanti chose this name in part for its meaning in Turkish. Instead of creating a logo, the team behind SALT decided to instead create a unique, custom-designed font, using this for all SALT-related press and activities.

SALT’s activities will be split between two Garanti-owned buildings, one on Istiklal Street in Beyoğlu and SALT Galata, which is housed in a 19^th century building that was once the Imperial Ottoman Bank headquarters, and will be opened to the public in September 2011. The six-story SALT building on Istiklal Street dates back to the 19^th century and was originally known as the Siniossoglou Apartment building. Following extensive renovations, the building now features 1,130 m2 of exhibition space, archival space, offices, a café, a shop, a walk-in cinema, and a rooftop terrace-garden designed by architect Fritz Haeg. Amazingly, SALT Galata will be twice the size of the Beyoğlu venue, and will house the archives and a library.

SALT’s opening exhibits are “I am not a studio artist” by the late artist, writer, and curator Hüseyin Bahri Alptekin, as well as new commissions related to his life and works (which will be on display until August 7), and “Laboratory”, which features works by the 2010 winners of the Cultural Committee of German Business’ annual Ars Viva Prize for young artists based in Germany, which will be on display until July 1.

No need to wonder any longer as the Saray Koleksiyonları Müzesi (the Palace Collection Museum) is now open. The museum, which is located on the grounds of the Dolmabahçe Palace, elucidates the daily lives of the last six Ottoman sultans and Atatürk.

The collection, which is representative of the last 70 years of Ottoman rule, covers over 5000 items in 20 different categories, such as “Being a Kid in the Palace”, “Religious Life”, and “Health and Personal Care”. The exhibited objects were used in the Ottoman palaces during the last period of Ottoman rule, including not only the Dolmabahçe Palace but also Aynalıkavak, Küçüksu, Ihlamur, and Beylerbeyi palaces.

The exhibited objects, which were once used by the palace residents and guests, include clothing, toys, medical tools, Hereke carpets, paintings, decorative objects, kitchenware, clocks, and much more. Some of these items were brought over from Europe during the 19^th century, while some were built in the palace workshops. A section of the museum is dedicated to the painting collection and art supplies of Caliph Abdülmecid, who was also a painter. A few objects that were bought and used by Atatürk during his stay at the Dolmabahçe Palace can also be found in the museum. An 1895 kinetoscope, The Graphophone Company brand phonograph from the 1880s, and the first ever electric heater made in Turkey are a few examples of unique items that are exhibited in the collection.

The long-awaited 30^th Istanbul Film Festival is here, making April a joyous month for film aficionados. Held between April 2 and April 17, the festival covers a variety of categories that will appeal to film lovers of all interests, from Human Rights and Turkish Cinema to Young Masters and Documentary Time with NTV. A total of 231 films are being screened, creating a huge dilemma for those of us who are going through the IKSV catalogue trying to squeeze in as many films as possible in our busy schedules. Here is our shortlist of the ‘must-see’ films of the festival to save you from losing yourself in the festival guide book or IKSV’s website trying to decide what to see.

Gişe Memuru (Toll Booth)

The first feature-length film written and directed by Tolga Karaçelik, who is better known for his award-winning short films such as Rapunzel, Toll Booth tells a story of miscommunication, isolation, and desperate alienation through the conflict between a father and his son. Confined to his world of dreams, the introvert Kenan is a toll booth attendant, who lives with his ailing father. Kenan’s dull and monotonous life, stuck between the routines of his toll booth and his home, will change when he is assigned to work at numerous other toll booths.

Karaçelik’s feature-length debut won Best First Feature Film, Best Director of Photography, and Best Actor (for Serkan Ercan’s performance) awards at the 47. Uluslararası Antalya Altın Portakal Film Festivali (47. International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival).

The Two Escobars

Directed by Jeff and Michael Zimbalist, The Two Escobars is a documentary on two significant figures of Colombia: Andrés Escobar and Pablo Escobar. These two have no personal or family ties but fate brings them together. “Andrés was the team captain. Pablo ruled the criminal underworld. One divided a country. The other united it.” Led by the biggest soccer star Andrés, the Colombian national soccer team was close to winning the 1994 World Cup until Andrés made the irrevocable mistake of scoring a goal in his team’s post during the final match between Colombia and the US.

Waste Land

Directed by Lucy Walker, this documentary (which took three years to film) follows the Brooklyn artist Vik Muniz from New York to Rio de Janeiro on his artistic quest.

“From the world’s largest trash dump comes an astonishingly true story of a renowned New York artist and a group of scavengers.” Muniz embarks on a photography project in Jardim Gramacho (world’s greatest garbage dump), taking photos of a group of catadors—garbage collectors who collect recyclable material and turn them into pieces of art. This inspiring documentarywon 2010 Berlin Amnesty Award, Panorama–Audience Award, 2010 Seattle Best Documentary, and 2010 Sundance Audience Award.

Little White Lies (Les Petits Mouchoirs)

Every summer Max invites his friends to stay at his beach house. This summer, their vacation results in something much more than just a nice summer tan. Directed by the handsome Guillaume Canet (whom we know as Julien in Jeux d’enfants), Les Petits Mouchoirs brings together Rançois Cluzet, Marion Cotillard, and Benoît Magimel in a story about a group of bourgeois Parisians whose lives are surrounded by secrets and fears. Vincent, who is happily married, falls in love with Max; Marie is Ludo’s ex-girlfriend; Eric is cheating on Lea; Antoine is obsessed with his ex-girlfriend. As days go by their relationships, friendships, and loyalties will be tested.

Another Year

Another Yearis a glimpse of a married couple’s life and their relationship with their friends and relatives. Surrounded by their unhappy friends, colleagues, and family, Gerri and Tom struggle to stay happy. In his latest film, Mike Leigh underlines the opposing concepts of happiness and sadness, hope and hopelessness, partnership and loneliness, birth and death.

Manville won the 2010 USA National Board of Review Best Actress Award for her performance.

The Turin Horse (A Torinoi Lo)

Béla Tarr’s latest film The Turin Horse, which was co-directed by Ágnes Hranitzky,takes place in 1889, and begins with Nietzsche’s struggle to save a horse that has been whipped. This struggle leads Nietzsche towards an incurable mental illness that will leave him bedridden and mute. Yet, it’s not the great German philosopher but the old horse that is the hero of this story.

The Turin Horsewon the 2011 Berlin Jury Grand Prix Award.

The Trip

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon play themselves in this funny feature-length film, which has been adapted from the Golden Tulip-winner British comedy series A Cock and Bull Story. Coogan, a guest food writer for a newspaper, travels to the English countryside with his neurotic friend Brydon. The Trip is a great example of witty British humor in which most dialogues between Coogan and Brydon are improvised.

Norwegian Wood (Noruwei no mori)

Norwegian Woodis the first film adaptation of one of Haruki Murakami’s greatest works. The inspiration for the film as well as the book came from a Beatles song that gave the film and the book its name. Tran Anh Hung, who had directed The Scent of Green Papaya and Cyclo, adapted the book (which was published in 1987) to the big screen. The film, which centers on love, death, loss of innocence, heartbreak, and the awakening of sexuality, takes place in the 1960s in Tokyo and follows Toru Watanabe who is desperately devoted to his first love Naoko. Watanebe feels the presence of death in all aspects of his life until he meets the lively Midori.

Poetry (Shi)

The winner of 2010 Cannes Best Scenario Award, Lee Chang-dong’s latest film Poetry tells the bitter-sweet story of Mija, an elderly lady who lives in the suburbs with her grandson. Mija attends poetry classes at a cultural center and, for the first time in her life, she is challenged to write a poem. This task sparks a light in her life at a time when her memory, strength, and looks have begun to fail her. However, through this journey, she will be forced to face an undesirable truth.

Incendies

Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad’s groundbreaking play to the big screen by Denis Villeneuve (the director of Polytechnique), Incendines tells the tragic story of twins Simon and Jeanne who embark on a journey to Lebanon after the death of their mother Nawal. This adventure will shed a disturbing light on Nawal’s death while showing the darkest moments of civil war.

Incendieswon the 2010 Toronto Best Canadian Feature, 2010 Vancouver Best Canadian Film, 2010 Warsaw Grand Prix, and 2010 Valladolid Best Screenwriting, Youth Jury Award and Audience Award. L. Azabal won the 2010 Abu Dhabi Best Actress Award. The film was also nominated for the Best Film in a Foreign Language Oscars.

Amador

Marcela is an immigrant woman who is going through marital, financial, and social difficulties while trying to adapt to a new country. Amador is an old, bedridden man waiting for his last breath. Their lives are intertwined when Marcela starts taking care of Amador as a summer job. Yet, Marcela is not only taking care of Amador but also sharing his secrets during the final days of his life. Magaly Solier, renowned Peruvian actress, plays Marcela in the film directed by Fernando León De Aranoa.

The Bomonti Home for the Elderly, which provides a home for approximately 100 elderly, relies solely on donations and faces many challenges as a major alteration project is required to update the facility to meet local regulations and EU standards of care. IWI has a long history of supporting the Bomonti Home for the Elderly with donations as well as volunteer work.

IWI invites you to this charity event, asking for your generous help and worthy contribution in an effort to secure the continuity of this home for those who depend on it.

Visit www.iwi-tr.org to purchase your tickets. (All proceeds from tickets will be donated to the Bomonti Home for the Elderly.)

Remarkably, the building was constructed in just a few months. This is partly due to the fact that the project actually merged two unfinished projects. The exterior of the building is modified from an abandoned hotel project, while the interior was done using adapted plans from a cancelled US commission. Because the half-built hotel could not be hidden, it was instead surrounded by glass in order to allow views through to the inner building. While the outer sections of the building contains offices, the inner structure houses meeting rooms, showrooms, an auditorium and radio facilities for PowerFM. Using innovative thinking and design, Vakko and its partners have managed to create one of the most significant new additions to Istanbul’s architectural landscape.

Artists Ayhan Tomak, Ebru Döşekçi, Semra Ecer, Yıldanur Ketenci, Malik Bulut, Meral Değer, Nejat Kavvas, and Serdar Seremet will participate at the exposition. The Turkish Cultural Foundation will be sponsoring all eight artists as part of its mission to expand international opportunities for Turkish artists and to promote Turkish modern art. SOFA New York will be held on April 14-17 and SOFA Chicago November 4-6.

www.sofaexpo.com

Curated by Nina Grundemark, the show includes photographs, video installations and original sculptures that the artist has made by combining natural organisms with cables and wires to create what he calls “new life forms”. The result is otherworldly objects and photographs that look like they emerged from a sci-fi movie, new life forms that are simultaneously creepy and beautiful.

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This year’s program will have multiple sections, including: The international Golden Tulip Competition open to fiction, documentary, and animated films; Turkish Cinema 2010-2011; The Council of Europe Film Award (FACE) Competition within Human Rights in Cinema; and special the matised sections. Highlights include Mike Leigh’s “Another Year”, the film adaptation of “Norwegian Wood” based on the novel by acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami, Julian Schnabel’s latest film “Miral”, “Portiche”, “Rabbit Hole”, “Never Let Me Go”, and many more. Tickets go on sale in March through Biletix and the films will be shown at numerous venues throughout the city.

As a result, the knowledge behind the production of handicrafts is beıng lost and forgotten. Alarmed by this situation, Mr. Koçan decided to establish the Baksı Museum to revitalize the local economy while also preserving the tradition of local handicrafts. This museum successfully brings together contemporary and traditional arts, and has six sections including an exhibition hall (where folk art motifs, glass, ceramics, and pottery are presented), the Bayburt House, which displays traditional Bayburt architecture, a workshop where villagers weave and make ceramics, and a library. Recognizing his tremendous economic and cultural contribution to the region, Mr. Kocan has been honored with the Turkey’s Changemakers award by the Sabancı Foundation.

www.baksi.org