With the collaboration of IMM Culture and IMM Heritage, 16 exhibitions are spreading across the city—from streets to cisterns, from coastlines to courtyards. These exhibitions, held in diverse venues, bring together Istanbul’s rich past and vibrant present through contemporary art in public spaces.
This summer, venues like Artİstanbul Feshane, Bebek Cistern, Bakırköy Art, Casa Botter, Cendere Art Museum, and Gülhane Cistern are filled with art. The initiative, driven by İBB Kültür and İBB Miras, offers 16 free contemporary exhibitions spanning various artistic disciplines throughout Istanbul.
Since 2019, İBB Kültür and İBB Miras have hosted 271 exhibitions across 41 venues, with the contribution of 195 curators and nearly 2,000 artists, reaching almost 8 million visitors. Thanks to meticulous restoration and curation efforts, places such as Bulgur Palas, Çubuklu Silos, Haliç Art, Mecidiyeköy Art, Metrohan, Müze Gazhane, and Taş Mektep have transformed into new cultural hubs.
Exhibition Highlights Across the City
“SOLO BOTTER: BURHAN UYGUR”
Casa Botter / Feb 6 – Aug 24
The fourth in the Botter Exhibitions series curated by Levent Çalıkoğlu, this solo show invites audiences to discover the multilayered visual poetics and narrative strength of the late artist Burhan Uygur.
“THE LOST ALPHABET”
Artİstanbul Feshane / Jan 17 – Sep 20
Curated by Christoph Tannert, Ahmet Güneştekin’s The Lost Alphabet brings together objects of memory and migration, sound and visuals, and multilayered narratives in a multidisciplinary show.
“THE ILIAD EPIC: TIME HIDDEN IN FABRICS”
Bakırköy Art / May 15 – Jul 25
The Boreas Women and Art Association revives 24 scenes from Homer’s Iliad through 24 unique patchwork artworks, turning the epic into a tactile visual story.
“LIGHT-BUTTON”
Bebek Cistern / May 22 – Jan 15
Gökçe Çilekar’s interactive exhibition explores the movement of the brain through light, inviting viewers to become active participants in triggering memory, resistance, and voice.
“MAGNUM IN ISTANBUL: HUMAN RIGHTS—WHAT IS AND ISN’T”
Bulgur Palas / Dec 10, 2024 – Sep 3
This collaboration with Magnum Photos, curated by Emin Özmen, showcases 90 photographs by 45 artists exploring the deep history and relevance of human rights.
“VOID”
Çubuklu Silos / Nov 20, 2024 – Aug 31
This exhibition confronts the viewer with the tension between light, space, and void—inviting reconsideration of perception, presence, and spatial awareness.
“SUDAN SEBEPLER”
Cendere Art Museum / Jun 26 – Oct 15
Curated by Ezgi Bakçay and Sena Tural, the exhibition brings together 14 artists questioning access to water and emphasizing it as both a resource and a shared responsibility.
“METALIST: UNITY”
Gülhane Cistern / Ongoing
Featuring sculptures by graduates and current students of MSGSU’s metal workshop, this permanent exhibition challenges humanity’s dominance over nature.
“THIS DOESN’T COUNT”, “STONE PAPER METAL”, “RAIN OF LINES”
Haliç Art 1-2-3 / May 20 – Oct 26
Solo exhibitions include Ali Gün Yıldırım’s inspiring drawings (This Doesn’t Count), Seydi Murat Koç’s 20-year retrospective (Stone Paper Metal), and Tan Cemal Genç’s deep visual narrative on the nature of the line (Rain of Lines).
“THE CITY’S REBELLION”
Mecidiyeköy Art / Jun 12 – Sep 14
Curated by Laleper Aytek, this photo exhibition presents 58 works by 17 photographers—61% of whom are women—first featured in the 14th Bursa International Photo Festival.
“MEMORY MAKERS”
Metrohan / Apr 18 – Aug 31
A personal exhibition by Semiramis Öner curated by Gülseli İnal, Balkız İnal, and Beliz İnal, blending paintings, old Istanbul objects, and vintage photos into a nostalgic installation.
“THE OUTSIDE IS GROWING”
Taş Mektep / Apr 2 – Sep 7
Visual artist Denef Huvaj’s personal photography exhibition invites visitors to a slow-paced, contemplative walk through Taş Mektep’s tranquil setting.
For more details on exhibitions and visiting hours, follow İBB Kültür’s social media channels or visit kultursanat.istanbul.
