August 2025 Exhibitions

August offers art lovers a calm yet vibrant space for discovery, with exhibitions across museums and galleries still in full swing. ArtDog Istanbul editors have compiled a selection of must-see shows to catch during the final days of summer.

As the last month of the season unfolds, August presents a serene yet rich exhibition route for art enthusiasts. While Istanbul continues to host notable exhibitions, artistic productions are also on view across a wide geography—from Ankara to İzmir, from Bursa to the Baksı Museum in Bayburt. Whether in the city or immersed in nature, these ongoing exhibitions offer inspiration to those who wish to spend the last days of summer surrounded by art.

A Journey Through Time with İzzet Keribar

İzzet Keribar’s From Analog to Digital exhibition reveals the transformation Istanbul has undergone since 1952. Photographs taken using both analog and digital techniques reflect aesthetic and technological changes. Highlighted by light, color, and graphic elements, these striking images showcase the artist’s 75 years of experience. Curated by Ercüment Çilingiroğlu, the exhibition also features a limited selection of Diasec-printed collages.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: July 29 – August 29
• Venue: Artgalerim, 42 Maslak
• Admission: Artgalerim

A Literary Journey Through Istanbul at Meşher

Meşher’s ongoing exhibition The Story Takes Place in Istanbul focuses on how Istanbul has been imagined in Western literature from the 16th century to the present day. The selection includes nearly 300 books from the Ömer Koç Collection, ranging from fantastical tales and graphic novels to science fiction and espionage stories. Enriched with manuscripts, rare
editions, signed copies, engravings, film posters, and Turkish translations, the exhibition offers a unique narrative where literature and visual culture intertwine.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: January 23 – January 18, 2026
• Venue: Meşher, İstiklal Street
• Admission: Meşher

Exhibitions at Pera Museum
Two exhibitions organized in celebration of Pera Museum’s 20th anniversary—Çok İş Var Yapacak and Ay Işığıyla Dans—are set to conclude this August. Çok İş Var Yapacak offers a comprehensive look into the creative world of Samih Rifat, a poet, translator, thinker, and photographer, by bringing together his interdisciplinary works. Ay Işığıyla Dans, the first solo
The exhibition in Turkey by Canada-born artist Marcel Dzama showcases his imaginative, humorous pieces rich with political and social references.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: March 20 – August 17, 2025
• Venue: Pera Museum, Istanbul
• Admission: Pera Museum

The Darkroom of an Adventurous Architect

The Istanbul Research Institute presents a photography exhibition centered on the life of Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu, one of the prominent architects of the early Republican period, and the changing face of Turkey as seen through his eyes. Titled Maceraperest Bir Mimarın Fotoğrafhanesi (The Darkroom of an Adventurous Architect), the exhibition sheds light on
Koyunoğlu’s multifaceted world through the photographs he took. In addition to his architectural achievements, Koyunoğlu’s passion for photography is also brought into focus. His archive takes visitors on a journey through both personal and collective memory.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: June 19, 2025 – May 17, 2026
• Venue: Istanbul Research Institute, Pera
• Admission: Istanbul Research Institute

New Exhibition at Salt Galata

The exhibition Karanlık Dünya (Dark World) at Salt Galata focuses on the production process of a censored film by Metin Erksan and Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu, through an interdisciplinary investigation by artist Mike Bode and screenwriter Caner Yalçın. Tracing the remnants of a lost narrative within the cultural atmosphere of 1950s Turkey, the exhibition opens up a space for layered memory through missing scenes, conflicting testimonies, and archival materials.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: July 3 – August 23
• Venue: Salt Galata
• Admission: Salt

Franz Erhard Walther Exhibition at Arter

Arter is hosting Heykel Olma Teşebbüsü (Attempt at Being a Sculpture), the first major solo exhibition in Turkey by German artist Franz Erhard Walther. Curated by Selen Ansen, the exhibition brings together the artist’s works that explore the relationship between the body, action, and sculpture. Featuring pieces created since the 1960s using paper, fabric, and paint,
the exhibition occupies the 3rd and 4th floor galleries of Arter. It invites viewers to reconsider sculpture as a bodily and imaginative experience.

Exhibition Details
• Date: February 27, 2025
• Venue: Arter, Istanbul
• Admission: Arter

Ali Kazma Exhibition at Istanbul Modern

Ali Kazma’s exhibition Aklın Manzaraları (Landscapes of the Mind) is currently on view at Istanbul Modern. Curated by Öykü Özsoy Sağnak and Demet Yıldız Dinçer, the exhibition features the artist’s video works filmed across various geographies. Among the highlights are several pieces being shown for the first time, including Sumi (2025), Mürekkep Evi (2022),
Sentimental (2022), and Alberto Lizbon’da (2024).

Exhibition Details
• Date: June 13
• Venue: Istanbul Modern
• Admission: Istanbul Modern

“Gündönümü – Summer Solstice” Exhibition at Galeri 77

Galeri 77 invites viewers on a sensory journey with Gündönümü – Summer Solstice, an exhibition that blends the light and transformative energy of summer with contemporary art. Featuring works by 19 artists in abstract, figurative, and surreal styles, the exhibition offers a modern interpretation of the relationship between time, light, and nature. Centered around
themes of renewal and change, Gündönümü – Summer Solstice builds a bridge between the

past and the present.
Exhibition Details
• Dates: July 3 – August 23
• Venue: Galeri 77, Karaköy
• Admission: Galeri 77

Imagined Narratives at Zeyrek Çinili Hamam

Murmurations, the first solo exhibition in Turkey by Anousha Payne, curated by Anlam de Coster, brings together contemporary artworks in the Byzantine Cistern of Zeyrek Çinili Hamam, drawing on the site’s historical memory. By weaving together traces of the past with the imagination of collective movement, the exhibition reveals the hidden narratives
embedded in the architecture.

Exhibition Details
• Date: August 15
• Venue: Zeyrek Çinili Hamam
• Admission: Zeyrek Çinili Hamam

Kezban’s Cabinet of Curiosities at MeshRu

Kezban Arca Batıbeki’s exhibition Kezban’ın Nadire Kabinesi (Kezban’s Cabinet of Curiosities) is currently on view at MeshRu. Drawing on her passion for collecting objects, the artist constructs a personal universe centered around themes of womanhood and the domestic realm. Each piece reflects her aesthetic sensibility and areas of interest. The exhibition invites viewers on an intimate journey into the artist’s inner world.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: April 17 – September 30
• Venue: MeshRu, Beyoğlu
• Admission: MeshRu

Works by Fulya Çetin and İlhan Sayın at Yapı Kredi Gallery

The second edition of Yapı Kredi Culture and Arts’ Bir Arada (Together) exhibition series brings together the works of Fulya Çetin and İlhan Sayın. In her Gündüz Rüyaları (Daydreams) series, Çetin presents an ecofeminist narrative centered on nature and womanhood, while Sayın’s Geyikli Gecede (In the Night of the Deer) focuses on nature, time, and architecture. The exhibition provides a space for both artists to explore themes of nature, justice, and resistance through their unique artistic languages.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: May 9 – January 4
• Venue: Yapı Kredi Gallery
• Admission: Yapı Kredi Culture and Arts

“Benim Güzel Hatalarım” at x-ist

The summer-long exhibition Benim Güzel Hatalarım (My Beautiful Mistakes) at x-ist features works by Esin Keskinoğlu, Pamir Yıldıran, and Sefa Karakuş. The exhibition approaches the concept of “mistake” not as a flaw, but as a space for creative and aesthetic exploration. The artists interpret moments of rupture and inconsistency as opportunities for reconstruction.
Visitors are invited to discover the beauty that lies within the incomplete and the contradictory.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: July 3 – August 23
• Venue: x-ist, Gümüşsuyu
• Admission: x-ist

Two Group Exhibitions at Anna Laudel

Anna Laudel Istanbul is currently hosting two group exhibitions running throughout the summer: Kaldırımın Bittiği Nokta (Where the Sidewalk Ends) and Anlaşıldığın Yerde (Where You Are Understood). Featuring works by 12 artists created through a variety of techniques and approaches, the exhibitions invite viewers to confront both the rhythm of urban life and
the transformations of individual existence.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: June 1 – August 31, 2025
• Venue: Anna Laudel Istanbul
• Admission: Anna Laudel

Group Exhibition “Kölemen 7” at Galeri Bosfor

Galeri Bosfor, in its new venue, is hosting the group exhibition Kölemen 7, curated by Gökşen Buğra. The show features works by Ahmet Çerkez, Barış Göktürk, Betül Kotil, Burcu Erden, Eda Soylu, Erman Özbaşaran, Funda Susamoğlu, Ilgın Seymen, Işıl Kapu, Mithat Şen, Olgu Ülkenciler, and Yasha Butler.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: July 9 – August 23
• Venue: Galeri Bosfor, Karaköy
• Admission: Galeri Bosfor

“Art Nouveau” Exhibition at the Hungarian Cultural Center

Dorka Demeter’s photography exhibition Architectural Splendor: Hungarian Art Nouveau is on view at the Hungarian Cultural Center. The show brings together examples of Art Nouveau architecture from Hungary, documenting the aesthetic heritage of the style across Europe. Demeter’s years of archival and travel work offer a visual account of the era’s expansive
geography. The artist reflects Hungarian Art Nouveau through her personal passion and cultural connection.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: June 13 – August 31, 2025
• Venue: Hungarian Cultural Center, Istanbul
• Admission: Hungarian Cultural Center

“Causes from Water” Exhibition at Cendere Art Museum

The exhibition Sudan Sebepler (Causes from Water) opens in the restored Cendere Water Pump Station—revitalized by İBB Heritage—and highlights that a shared future cannot be built without equitable access to water. Curated by Ezgi Bakçay and Sena Tural, the show explores water’s cultural, mythological, and artistic meanings through a richly layered narrative. Featured artists include Arzu Arbak, Aşkın Ercan, Bahadır Yıldız, Bedia Ekiz, Bünyamin Bozkuş, Cemil Cahit Yavuz, İlgen Arzık, Kemal Tufan, Özcan Yaman, Seniha Ünay, Serkan Yüksel, Sevgi Akyüz, Yağmur Çalış, and Zeynep Doğa Karabulut.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: June 26 – October 15
• Venue: Cendere Art Museum
• Admission: Cendere Art Museum

“Dışarısı Büyüyor” at Büyükada Taş Mektep
Denef Huvaj’s exhibition Dışarısı Büyüyor (The Outside Is Growing) at Büyükada Taş Mektep invites visitors to pause and reflect against the relentless pace of modern urban life. Centering on themes of belonging and identity, the artist examines personal relationships with space through the walking paths captured in her photographs. The exhibition calls those
seeking a more human rhythm to embark on a tranquil journey of discovery.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: April 2 – September 7
• Venue: Taş Mektep, Büyükada
• Admission: Taş Mektep

“Başıboşlar, Gergedanlar ve Yanlış Anlamalar Hakkında” at YUNT

Guido Casaretto’s exhibition Başıboşlar, Gergedanlar ve Yanlış Anlamalar Hakkında (On Strays, Rhinos, and Misunderstandings), currently on view at YUNT, remains open through August. The artist invokes historical narratives—such as an Ottoman sultan’s request for a unicorn from the Doge of Venice and 19th-century bronze mold replicas imported from
Italy—to frame the show. In the exhibition, Casaretto stages an open casting process using discarded materials collected from YUNT, inviting audience participation and fostering a sense of collective engagement.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: May 10 – August 15, 2025
• Venue: YUNT, Sultanbeyli
• Admission: YUNT

“Yaz Bahçesi” (Summer Garden) at .artSümer

.artSümer’s group exhibition Yaz Bahçesi (Summer Garden) offers viewers a multilayered conceptual space through works by Onur Gülfidan, Gözde İlkin, CANAN, and other artists. Emphasizing pleasure and serenity alongside fragility and contradiction, the show inspires those who wish to explore the enchantment of summer from both aesthetic and intellectual
perspectives.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: June 26 – August 23
• Venue: .artSümer
• Admission: .artSümer

“Summer Edition 4” at EArt

EArt Gallery’s Summer Edition 4 brings together works by 10 interdisciplinary artists. The exhibition invites viewers to explore the negative space between environment and form as a conceptual experience. This fourth edition features pieces by A. Elif Aydoğmuş, Bahadır Yıldız, Defne Parman, Ebru Zarakolu, Ezgi Bahadır, Gizem Ünlü, Hazer Coşgun Kırkpınar,
Maze Sürer, Pınar Yılmaz, and Songül Girgin.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: June 17 – August 31, 2025
• Venue: EArt Gallery, Kağıthane
• Admission: EArt Gallery

Works by Aslı Çavuşoğlu at İMALAT-HANE

Aslı Çavuşoğlu’s exhibition TunState continues at İMALAT-HANE. Drawing inspiration from nature’s strategies of preservation and adaptation, the works engage themes of transformation, resilience, and waiting. Beyond artistic production, the show offers a living ecosystem of ideas, prompting fresh inquiries into time, memory, and material.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: May 17 – September 27
• Venue: İMALAT-HANE, Bursa
• Admission: İMALAT-HANE

Works by Fikret Muallâ on View at Erimtan Museum

The exhibition Zihnin Sınırlarında Bir Rota: Fikret Muallâ (A Route at the Edge of the Mind: Fikret Muallâ), curated by Ebru Nalan Sülün at Erimtan Archaeology and Art Museum, presents selected works from Fikret Muallâ’s Hancan Art Collection in an academic style. The show features the artist’s sketches and gouache pieces alongside personal narratives and critiques from those close to him, aiming both to evoke the past and to offer period-specific analysis.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: February 28 – September 7, 2025
• Venue: Erimtan Archaeology and Art Museum, Ankara
• Admission: erimtanmuseum

Tradition and Modernity: Turkish Painting from the Arkas Collection (1920–1970)

Arkas Art Center presents Tradition and Modernity: Turkish Painting from the Arkas Collection (1920–1970), an exhibition illuminating the modernization of Turkish painting. Featuring over 110 works drawn from the Arkas Collection, the show explores how artists navigating the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic balanced tradition and innovation in their practice. In addition, the exhibition offers a preview of the collection highlights soon to be unveiled at Arkas Art Göztepe. Together, these presentations trace the evolution of Turkish painting through one of its most comprehensive private holdings.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: March 26 – December 28, 2025
• Venue: Arkas Art Center, İzmir
• Admission: Arkas Art Center

“Staged” Exhibition at Arkas Art Alaçatı (“Sahnelenmiş”)

Arkas Art Alaçatı hosts the summer-long exhibition Staged (“Sahnelenmiş”), curated by Billur Tansel. Featuring 86 works by 35 artists, the show interrogates the climate crisis and humanity’s retreat into artificial realities. Beyond offering an aesthetic experience, Staged invites viewers to reflect and take action.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: May 29 – January 4
• Venue: Arkas Art Alaçatı, İzmir
• Admission: Arkas Art Alaçatı

“Altı Üstü İzmir” (“Just İzmir”) at Bayetav Sanat

The exhibition Altı Üstü İzmir (“Just İzmir”), on view at Bayetav Sanat, invites viewers to re-read the city’s fading memory through its streets, buildings, and squares. Featuring works by 14 artists in various media, the show reveals İzmir’s social, cultural, and historical layers, offering fresh perspectives on the city.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: May 3 – August 15
• Venue: Bayetav Sanat, İzmir
• Admission: Bayetav Sanat

“Yaşamak Güzel Şey Be Kardeşim” (“To Live Is a Beautiful Thing, Brother”) in Bursa

As part of the “Year of Nâzım Hikmet” organized by the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, the exhibition Yaşamak Güzel Şey Be Kardeşim (“To Live Is a Beautiful Thing, Brother”) examines the poet’s life and work across two venues. Curated by Emre Zeytinoğlu, the show presents a documentary narrative at Şefik Bursalı Art Gallery and artistic interpretations at
Tayyare Cultural Center. Throughout the exhibition, Nâzım Hikmet’s literary output, political convictions, and multifaceted creative life are explored in depth.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: May 9 – September 9
• Venues: Şefik Bursalı Art Gallery & Tayyare Cultural Center, Bursa
• Admission: Bursa Metropolitan Municipality

“Zamanlı Zamansız” (“Timely Timeless”) at Baksı Museum

Seçkin Pirim’s recent sculptures are currently on display at Baksı Museum in the exhibition Zamanlı Zamansız (“Timely Timeless”). Featuring over 20 works made from diverse materials alongside studies from the artist’s workshop process, the show offers an -introspective journey through recurring forms. Set within Baksı’s distinctive landscape, these pieces convey both existential lightness and deep emotional resonance.

Exhibition Details
• Dates: June 11 – November 3
• Venue: Baksı Museum, Bayraktar Village, Çayırlar Mevkii, Bayburt
• Admission: Baksı Museum