Protocinema, in partnership with the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), presents Cansu Yıldıran's 'Haunt the Present' at the Arts Center at Governors Island, NY from 5 October to 10 November. 

The photographic-sculptural installation 'Haunt the Present' captures Yıldıran's tender love for their homeland, as well as the pain of being forced to leave due to racial and economic pressures. As these conditions persisted, Yıldıran's family was forced to move several times. In their work, Yıldıran combines images of the Black Sea with those taken while travelling across the United States, from Michigan to the Pacific Ocean. By mixing these images, they fuse loss and dispossession with curiosity and the faint hope of finding a way forward.

The exhibition is accompanied by 'Haunt the Present Postcard Project', a selection of printed postcards, complete with stamps and a postbox, which can be mailed free of charge at the exhibition to any place in the world where there is still a post office.

Erdem Varol presents an installation entitled 'Rüya Eskizi' (Dream Sketch) at Büyükdere 35, Istanbul as part of 1wall exhibitions. As a narrative inspired by the fluid and layered structure of dreams, the 'Rüya Eskizi' series bears the traces of individual memories and the collective unconscious. This selection is also a fragment of a book project Varol has been working on since 2017, celebrating the uncontrolled and limitless nature of dreams. The installation, one of the parallel events of 212 Photography Istanbul, is on view until 13 October.

Cansu Yıldıran's first solo exhibition 'Blossoms of Farewell' will open at Hara on September 7TH. The exhibition is a continuation of the artist's photographic series 'The Dispossessed', which they began in 2015 as a way of tracing their own family history. Throughout the exhibition, Yıldıran focuses on women and nature in the highlands, villages and harsh geography of the Black Sea region, exploring the methods of survival these subjects devise through foraging in a world deprived of concepts such as identity and belonging. Meanwhile, through a web of relationships, memories and psychological standpoints, the notion of "home" acquires a physical dimension in space. 'Blossoms of Farewell' can be seen till December 18th. 

İrem Sözen is exhibiting in 'In the Night', which explores the concept of the night, its different meanings and phenomena, through contemporary works of art by more than 30 Saudi and international artists. Curated by Geraldine Bloch, the exhibition simulates our perception of the nocturnal world, between reality and fantasy. From the dark night of the ancients to our modern electrically lit nights, the exhibition provides a unique opportunity for art and culture lovers to explore the aesthetics of the night, its charming details and diverse aspects through creative works of art. 'In the Night' can be seen at Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art at Jax, Riyadh till May 20.

İrem Sözen is part of the group exhibition titled 'Let us Remember the Emptiness' inspired by a post once made by the artist Zeynep Günsür on Facebook, takes place in Hayy Open Space in Izmir, bringing together artists, creators, and thinkers from different fields. Curated by Saliha Yavuz, the exhibition invites the audience to dream through the concept of emptiness, exploring the associations of the color blue with notions of void. The exhibition runs from January 27 to March 15, 2024.

İbrahim Karakütük's new solo exhibition 'The Cave of the Starving Lion' opens at Galeri Nev, Ankara. Karakütük defines 'The Cave of the Starving Lion' as a refuge for all poor people who fall under the yoke of their own impulses and cause pain and harm to those they love. The works in the exhibition are the efforts of a giant chaos lover to find a foothold in order not to be ashamed of what is inside. 'The Cave of the Hungry Lion' can be seen until 30 December.

Ateş Alpar's exhibition 'Deeply and Profondly' portrays queer nightlife as part of the anti-systemic struggle of a community which has been exposed to reckless discrimination and oppression. It illuminates and colours the night and sometimes works as a creative dynamo that intensifies it. This dynamo inhabits a ground that goes beyond contemporary culture, which is conditioned by pure consumption and entertainment. 'Deeply and Profoundly' consists of poetic images of the whispers that have always been passed on from generation to generation. As the whispers rise, a strong rejection of the existence of fictional bodies is revealed. The series of photographs and videos listen to the whispers that come from the depths. 'Deeply and Profondly' can be seen at Bilsart, İstanbul between 18 and 28 October.

Erdem Varol exhibits in the group exhibition '...fakat kalbim seninledir', curated by Yasemin Bay, as part of the GAGİAD Culture and Arts Festival, Gaziantep. Located on the second floor of Pürsefa Han, the works in the exhibition construct a unique language around the themes of love, faith, devotion, unity and solidarity. The exhibition focuses on the feeling of togetherness and sharing, based on the fact that the building it is housed in was once a place where the harvested wheat was shared. On the other hand, it is also a tribute to the deep love and devotion of the people of Gaziantep to their city from the past to the present. '...fakat kalbim seninledir' can be seen until 28 October.

Bartu Kaan Özdişci takes part in Mamut Limited Vol.I pop-up exhibition, featuring limited edition and specially produced series by selected artists from previous editions of Mamut Art Project. After its 10th anniversary, Mamut is taking its support one step further by collaborating with artists throughout the year to share their work with art lovers. Mamut Limited is open to all creatives working in different fields and techniques, from visual arts to design, music and fashion. The first physical event of the project, Mamut Limited Vol.I pop-up exhibition, will meet art enthusiasts at Yapı Kredi bomontiada from 16 September to 1 October 2023.

Altay Tuz's book 'Members Only' has been published. 'Members Only' is a project that focuses on Turkish cafes in Germany, which are in a way authentic social sanctuaries or 'protected islands' created for feelings of safety, comfort and homeliness. Guest workers from Turkey spend time in these isolated communities and are not very welcoming to anyone who is not their own. Guest workers from Turkey have a distinctly fluid and multifaceted identity, blending customs from their original homeland of Turkey with their way of life in Germany, and these cafes are no exception. The book, printed with the support of Materialverlag HFBK Hamburg, includes photographs taken by Tuz between 2017 and 2023 and a text by Gülce Koç. You can order the book by emailing the artist: altaytuz@gmail.com 

Foam's new online exhibition 'Kısmet: New Perspectives' gives a snapshot of the emerging community of contemporary image-makers from Turkey and presents the work of four visual artists, 'All the Rivers Flow in the Nuthouse' by Oğulcan Arslan and 'The Dispossessed' by Cansu Yıldıran along with work of Kıvılcım S. Güngörün and Alp Peker, who are born after 1990 and whose voices will shape the vast visual landscape in Turkey, and beyond, in the upcoming years. This online exhibition is part of the multi-year project Kısmet which is inspired by longstanding cultural, diplomatic and economic ties between Turkey and the Netherlands and delves into the diverse and intricate facets of Turkish visual culture, as seen through the lens of different generations of image-makers. Showing a diverse range of visual styles, what connects these four artists is the profound personal investment they put in their work. Their photography holds a personal dimension that goes beyond ‘merely’ having an affinity for the chosen subject matter. Rather, their practice and the resulting bodies of work reveal a deep connection to their perception of the world around them. What stands out are the distinct translations of their inner worlds, whether this is in the methodology, subject matter or aesthetics.

Altay Tuz and Elçin Acun present works from their ongoing series 'Members Only' and 'Ignore' respectively in the group exhibition 'Dayanma Noktası', co-organized by Koli and Noks Art Space for the inauguration of Artİstanbul Feshane. 'Members Only' seeks to infiltrate the isolated communities of guest workers from Turkey, which have distinct, fluid and multifaceted identities that combine traditions from the homeland and convenient ways of life in Germany. In 'Ignore' (which is a collaboration between Acun and Mert Çağıl Türkay), bodies left in static positions in various parts of the city appear at some point just before they create their own space of freedom, informing that they are slowly beginning to emerge from the shadows of the public space. Opened in 1827 in Kadırga Cündi Square with the production of fezes, Feshane is considered one of the city's first industrial buildings and will be one of the largest art spaces in the city with an area of 8,000 square meters. 

Cansu Yıldıran are joining 'Past & Present', a collaborative weekend long celebration of Der Greif's 15th anniversary at Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich. 'Past & Present' is a rediscovery of the Der Greif archive through an interactive installation and artistic interventions from Friday, June 16 to Sunday, June 18, 2023. Visitors are encouraged to explore the extensive Der Greif archive and dive into submissions from the recent open call on the theme of 'Past & Present' by arranging and rearranging the image materials, crafting new visual narratives or challenging existing ones. Each day, visitors will have the opportunity to take home the image cards used in the display for a small donation. The proceeds will directly contribute to Der Grief's Guest Room Scholarship to support emerging artists.

Altay Tuz is among the artists who join FUTURES this year. Tuz is nominated by Triennial of Photography Hamburg and will join the platform’s activities to present his work to international professionals and to network, amongst other opportunities that will be developed for the artists, including exhibitions, publishing opportunities, portfolio reviews, and more. FUTURES is a Europe-based photography platform bringing together the global photography community to support and nurture the professional development of emerging artists across the world.

Ateş Alpar is exhibiting in the group show titled 'it doesn't matter until it does', curated by Begüm Güney and with the participation of artists Berk Kır, Irmak Dönmez, Mustafa Boğa, Merve Morkoç, Meltem Sarıkaya, Sinem Dişli and Şafak Şule Kemancı, at Martch Art Project's Piyalepaşa location. The show will be open to visitors till May 26th.

Mixer, İstanbul brings together two artists from different mediums, Ci Demi and Umut Toros, at the exhibition 'Beyond the Landscape'. Focusing on the intersection of works by two artists who are inspired by different disciplines, the exhibition takes different perspectives into urban and natural sceneries and offers a union that encompasses both. Ci Demi's works in the exhibition present an autobiographical mapping of existence through the lens of Istanbul, utilizing intricate details, scenes, and views of the city to create a unique and personal narrative. Both artists' works are united by a common thread of urban remains in nature, abandoned places, and destroyed views, which serve as a simultaneous psycho-geographical reading of their oeuvres. 'Beyond the Landscape' can be seen until March 18th.

Ci Demi, Ekin Özbiçer, Erdem Varol and Cansu Yıldıran are exhibiting in 'Istanbuls Today', a photography exhibition shaped with the aim of exerting a critical, layered, creative and innovative look at the current state of the constantly evolving “supra” city while bringing together direct or incidental visual narratives of the various Istanbuls experienced simultaneously. Curated by Refik Akyüz and Serdar Darendeliler, and enriched by the excerpts from the texts written by seven different academicians, researchers and literary figures for the exhibition catalogue, 'Istanbuls Today', through a selection and a presentation that aims to offer a glimpse into the entirety of works, includes many little exhibits within itself with the aims of creating a meaningful unity when juxtaposed. 'Istanbuls Today' can be seen at Pera Museum, Istanbul till April 30th.

Cansu Yıldıran are taking part in the exhibition 'Foodprint: The Mediterranean Diet Revisited', a cross-media project by six photographers focusing on the Mediterranean diet, an age-old food tradition rooted in austerity, creativity, communality, and seasonality. The exhibition presents a selection of works by six award-winning photographers who traveled in Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Cyprus, Croatia, and Turkey, capturing dramatically contrasting images from isolated fishing villages to mountainous hamlets and modern culinary schools, while exploring diverse themes such as sustainability, identity, family, community, cooking, farming, health and creativity. 'Foodprint: The Mediterranean Diet Revisited' will be on view from October 14 to December 4 at Salt Beyoğlu on Floor 1 and the Kitchen area.

Cansu Yıldıran are exhibiting a selection from their series 'The Dispossessed' in a group exhibition entitled 'Lejos de casa' at Veintinueve Trece taking place in Arrecife, Lanzarote. 'Lejos de casa' curated by Desideria evolves around the theme of home and brings together 3 artists Claudia Frontino, Cansu Yıldıran and Dina Oganova. The exhibition can be seen till November 13th at Charco de San Ginés.

Ekin Özbiçer's work 'Replica' is featured in Foam Magazine's new issue themed 'm/otherlands'. In ‘Replica’ Özbiçer dives into the concept of tourism without the hassle of traveling. These palaces in Antalya, with their surreal quality, mixed with implied historicity promises to fulfill an infantile fairy tale fantasy that both the parent and the child can relate to. The series is accompanied by a text by Kim Knoppers.

Ci Demi is among the finalists of Encontros da Imagem's Discovery Awards 2022 with a selection from his series 'Unutursan Darılmam'. The 13 finalists will have the opportunity to exhibit their work during the festival in September. Encontros da Imagem, with more than thirty years of existence, is a non-profit cultural association that promotes annually an International Photography and Visual Arts Festival in the city of Braga, Portugal.

‘Sound is the Silence of the Image‘ deals with sound and image on a visual-poetic level, with the culture of sound and image as complementary elements, and in this context gathers a cross-section of the current art scene from Turkey. The approach to the theme is quite complex and contains many different aspects, and the artistic statements of the 12 participants are correspondingly diverse. ‘Sound is the Silence of the Image‘ curated by Fatih Aydoğdu can be seen at Fabrikraum, Vienna until March 27th as part of Foto Wien.

Ateş Alpar are exhibiting in ‘Hadi Bana Geçelim‘ which invites the viewer to a field of imagination woven with stories from the personal experiences of the artists. In the exhibition, the artists turn the body into a playground as a result of the memory created by the traces. They offer a body reading through scars, skin and memory, terminology and cultural traumas. ‘Hadi Bana Geçelim‘ takes place at Koli Art Space until January 29th, 2022.

Cansu Yıldıran take part in a group exhibition entitled ‘Don’t Look Back, Deep is the Past‘ with a selection from their series ‘The Dispossessed‘. ‘Don’t Look Back, Deep is the Past‘ focuses on the roles and identities assigned to individuals in context of their relationship with society, habits based on social norms and the ways in which we define the Other. The exhibition takes place at Odunpazarı Modern Museum until May 31st, 2022.

Bilsart is hosting Cansu Yıldıran’s exhibition entitled ‘The Dispossessed‘ between 20-30 October curated by Melike Bayık. In the Black Sea region of Turkey, settlements are mostly in the highlands and while men can own properties in these highlands, women can not. ‘The Dispossessed’ started from this point. As a person against ownership, the fact that the right to own or not own property was taken from being a choice, and turned into an obligation, forced Yıldıran to focus on this subject. And, they went to the highland where they were born, not as a guest but as a storyteller. ‘The Dispossessed’ is the search for the voice of themselves, of their mother and of the Highland women.

Ali Saltan is among the 30 artists selected for the 12th edition of Circulation(s) which will take place between 31 March-29 May 2022. The Circulation(s) festival takes place at the CENTQUATRE-PARIS, a cultural place in eastern Paris, and continues in the form of tours and off-site events in France and Europe. For two months, the public will be invited to discover exhibitions presenting the work of 30 young artists from all over Europe, with a focus on the Armenian artistic scene. 

Altay Tuz and Ci Demi are among the 10 photographers shortlisted for the 212 Photography Competition. The works of the 10 artists will be exhibited during 212 Photography İstanbul which will take place from 1-11 October 2021, along a special route of 7 spots throughout Istanbul where every venue tells a different story…

Cansu Yıldıran are announced as the winner of the Resisting category of the first-ever All Out & MTV Photo Award with their photo of Rukan and Hejar, two Kurdish and LGBT+ activists kissing at a Women's Day protest in Kadıköy on March 6, 2021. Over 1,800 photos by more than 380 photographers from over 60 countries were submitted to the award. The winning photos are displayed on the ViacomCBS screens in Times Square, New York City during Pride celebrations. They will also be featured at World Pride Copenhagen and at exhibition spaces across the world.

Cansu Yıldıran are exhibiting in ‘Safer Space‘ curated by Ciwan Veysel at Villa Vida Cafe (Vienna) as part of the Transition International Queer & Minorities Film Festival from June 4th till July 11th. Veysel elaborates the goal of 'Safer Space' as creating a remote network of solidarity between especially trans and lgbtiqa+ individuals in Turkey and Vienna in memory of the ‘transgender day of remembrance’, and also using art as a tool making those struggles visible and using art as a defense mechanism against any discrimination.

Oğulcan Arslan is selected for the main programme of Helsinki Photo Festival 2021 with his work 'All the Rivers Flow in the Nuthouse'. The festival received 428 applications from 55 countries for the open call with the theme Fearless. The award winning 50 photographers will be exhibited at various outdoor exhibition sites around the Greater Helsinki area. During 12 weeks exhibition sites will open to the public by July 7, while a few will start later and run until September 30. 

Cansu Yıldıran received a New Generation Prize Honorable Mention in PHMuseum 2021 Photography Grant with their work 'Fathom'. Being among the awarded projects, their work will be screened at Lagos Photo Festival 2021, Verzasca Photo 2021, and Jakarta International Photo Festival 2021.

Cansu Yıldıran talk to Sophie Beerens about their project 'The Dispossessed'. 

"In photographing the women of her ancestral homeland, Yıldıran forms a renewed intimacy with her roots, reconciling the sense of dispossession that she came to understand as her escape. Her current work in progress, 'My Lost Motherland Pontos', suggests that she has only just begun the journey into the source of her identity."

Read the full article here

Altay Tuz is the third artist in the exhibition series 'Whisper Down the Lane' at Kunsthaus foyer, Hamburg. Tuz is invited by Fritz Lehmann to present his large-format photograph 'Untitled (Waiting Room)' until 2 February 2025. In the experimental and communicative exhibition format 'Whisper Down the Lane', the exhibiting artists themselves choose the next person to be shown, in line with the children's game of the same name in which information is passed on by whispering. Tuz's practice is concerned with spaces as bearers of social and cultural meaning. The work shown in the Kunsthaus foyer depicts a leather armchair in the waiting room of a doctor's surgery in Hamburg and is part of a series that deals with various places of waiting - experienced as a threshold state in which the promise of change goes hand in hand with stagnation. 

Cansu Yıldıran's solo exhibition 'Shelter' is on view at Kunstraum Remise, Bludenz. The ongoing project 'Shelter' has been growing for almost 10 years and brings together countless photographs that were created primarily in the circle of the artist's closest friends, who live in queer communities and form a marginalized group in Istanbul. In the diary-like photo documentation of the Turkish LGBTQ+ community, as expressed in 'Shelter', Yıldıran reflects on the complex aspects that shape both the inner world of the protagonists and the broader scene. 'Shelter' is curated by Luka Berchtold and on view till October 31st.

Ateş Alpar is exhibiting a selection from their 'Queer Night Life' series in the group exhibition 'Body Fragments' at Pilot Gallery, Istanbul. The  exhibition focuses on issues of gender roles, hybrid bodies, the duality of nature and the body, ideal bodies produced by capitalism, methods of resisting it, and the transformation of the body into a site of resistance against social norms. The artists in the exhibition embrace identities considered 'other', such as women and queer, while presenting the viewer with the idea that the self is not fixed, but rather a complex network of relationships in constant flux. 'Body Fragments' is on view until 13 July.

Cansu Yıldıran is one of the twenty exceptional artists featured in the Foam Talent 2024-2025 Group Exhibition and Foam Magazine Talent 2024-2025 Issue. The talents were selected through the biennial Foam Talent Call, to which an astonishing 2,500 photographers from over 106 countries submitted their work. The exhibition highlights the role of photography as a powerful medium for storytelling, cultural critique and personal expression. The selection celebrates photographers who dare to push the boundaries of creative expression. In addition to the physical exhibition, Talent 2024-2025 will be accompanied by a digital exhibition on the online platform Foam Explore, as well as Foam Magazine #65 TALENT, dedicated to this new generation of talent. In 2025, the exhibition will travel internationally. Photography Foundation. Foam Talent will be on display at Foam from 23 February-22 May 2024 and will travel in 2025, locations to be confirmed.

Fatma Çelik is part of the group exhibition ''After the Earthquakes', which is on show at the American Center for Photographers, Wilson, NC, USA until 28 January. After the Earthquakes' reflects on the aftermath of two earthquakes measuring 7.8 and 7.5 on the Richter scale that struck southern Turkey and northwestern Syria on 6 February, 2023.
'After the Earthquakes' is realised by ZinKolektif, a lens-based collective of women+ storytellers working in and around Turkey, with a photo reportage grant from Eyes on Main Street.

Melike Koçak is taking part in the group exhibition 'Is there another chance?', which aims to make visible the struggle of memory against the relentless desire for change and transformation imposed by the contemporary age of rapid transformation. It persistently insists on broadening the possibilities, spreading signals and glimmers of an "against all odds" attitude that repairs and soothes while encouraging collective action. The exhibition, curated by Melike Bayık, presents a diverse range of works by 12 artists from different disciplines. Is there another chance?" can be seen at Milli Reasürans Art Gallery until 10 February 2024.

Ekin Özbiçer and Damla Şahinbaş exhibit in the group show 'From Reality to Photo Reality', which explores the question "Is photography still a reflection of reality or has a new reality emerged from it?" From AI-generated images to the first images reflecting light, the exhibition is a chronological summary of the art of photography, from contemporary works that push the boundaries of experimentation to early examples of documents and resources. From Reality to Photo Reality', organised as part of the 212 Photography Istan, will be on show at the Müze Gazhane from 5 to 15 October.

Damla Şahinbaş is the recipient of Der Greif's Guest Room Scholarship for their series 'WE ARE REA' within the open call on 'Metamorphosis', which focuses on alternative photographic processes. Şahinbaş was nominated by Varun Gupta, director of the Chennai Photo Biennale in India, and Arpan Mukherjee, a leading researcher of historical photographic processes. 'WE ARE REA' is about the people who are negatively affected by Turkey's conservative structure on a daily basis and who make the phenomenon of destruction and reconstruction a routine part of their lives in order to create safe spaces. Guest Room is a monthly online exhibition with open submissions curated by personalities from the field of contemporary photography and visual culture.

Elçin Acun presents her video installation 'Allegory Of A Dream' in 'Out of Action', a group exhibition that brings together 5 artists who produce artworks that challenge social norms. In 'Allegory Of A Dream', transparent body images, caught between visibility and invisibility, aim to occupy masculine public space with illusions that wander silently and recklessly in various urban spaces. These body images explore the limits of possibly existing as a dream in reality. 'Out of Action' aims to show that individuals oppressed by society have reclaimed their own spaces by freely expressing all aspects of their existence and can be seen until October 28th at C.A.M Gallery, İstanbul.  

Elçin Acun is participating in Queer Films & Art Exhibition as part of the 5th edition of Queer Currents, an Amsterdam-based annual programme of events, lectures, films, exhibitions, dance and music on queer themes. This year Queer Currents is curated by guest curator Alejandra Ortiz, trans feminist writer, published author, thinker and community builder, and will take place from 22 July to 7 August 2023. Queer Films & Art Exhibition, a one-day exhibition on 30 July at ROZENSTRAAT, features a diverse collection of works that celebrate and explore queer identities, experiences and creativity. Through the power of visual storytelling, these artists invite you to delve into the world of queerness, offering unique perspectives and reflections on dreams, joy, sleep, personal journeys and sensitive obscurities.

Fatma Çelik is shortlisted for the Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award, facilitated by FotoDocument with her series 'Back to Nature'. The Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award is granted annually to a professional female photographer towards the completion of a compelling and cohesive documentary photo essay, which addresses an important social, environmental, economic or cultural issue, whether local or global. ‘Back to Nature’ focuses on the stories of Kurdish, Alevi, Chaldean and Assyrians who were forced to migrate from their villages in Turkey in the 90s and now return to revitalise life by farming with local seeds, raising livestock, reforesting burnt down areas and beekeeping. The winner and honourable mentions will be announced on June 28th.

Cansu Yıldıran are among the winners of this year's Verzasca Foto Festival, Switzerland with their series 'The Disposssessed'. A selection from the series will be part of a projection during the festival which will take place between August 30th till September 3rd. Verzasca Foto Festival aims to promote emerging international photographers and to support visual arts in rural and peripheral areas, by giving free space through connection and dialogues with nature, offering access to different forms of expression and ways of visual storytelling.

Merdiven Art Space is hosting Ateş Alpar's exhibition titled 'Stone Shell Silent'.
Curated by Ekmel Ertan, the exhibition reveals the flooding of Hasankeyf and the eco-destruction in the region. An example of contemporary eco-art that encompasses social and cultural destruction, the 'Stone Shell Silent' series presents Alpar's works documenting the natural and social destruction of intertwined economic and political choices over a long period of time. The exhibition can be seen until June 30th.

Cansu Yıldıran are exhibiting a selection from their series 'The Dispossessed' in the exhibition 'A Room of One’s Own' that brings together 3 artists who resist convention and transcend boundaries in their documentary work that resemble fiction. Each artist seeks traces of their identity in the collective memory of their hometowns, traditions, and tales of the past. 'A Room of One's Own', curated by Yasemin Elçi, is a part of the European Month of Photography in Luxembourg and will be open to visitors between till June 3th at Neimenster, Luxembourg. 

Fatma Çelik is selected as one of the 2 artists for the 2023-2023 period of Berlin Senate Residency Program which promotes cultural exchange and supports the artistic development of professional artists as a component of the active sister city relations between Berlin and Istanbul. Throughout the residency, Çelik will focus on the second phase of her on going project 'Back to Nature' with women who have created their own space in the Hevrin Xelef Garden under the umbrella of Flamingo e.v., a Berlin-based organization that works mostly with migrants.

Cansu Yıldıran is exhibiting in Perasma's inaugural exhibition titled 'From off my Countenance These Glassy Tears' at Art On Pera, Istanbul. along with 7 other artists. The exhibition borrows its title from Dante's 'Inferno', Canto XXXIII.

Fikret Otyam, who made great contributions to Turkey's social, cultural and artistic accumulation with his paintings, photographs and writings, was a master who described this geography with its nature, its people, its bitter and sweet, its sadness and happiness.

Over the years, he documented the lives of Anatolian people with his unique narrative and published his photo-reportages under the title 'Gide Gide'. Now, in the exhibition titled 'Gide Gide / After Fikret Otyam', curated by Yasemin Bay, Ali Saltan, Oğuz Karakütük and Erdem Varol are exhibiting works along with many artists. 'Gide Gide' can be seen at Fikret Otyam Art Center, Ankara till Feb. 19th, 2023.

Jury members Harun Güler, Erik Kessels, Izabela Radwanska Zhang and Roderick Van Der Lee has selected Serhat Kır as the winner of 212 Photography Istanbul competition with his series 'I almost remember' among 10 finalists. Works of the 10 finalists can be seen at Yapı Kredi bomontiada until October 16th.

Ci Demi is the winner of Discovery Awards 2022 at Encontros da Imagem with his series 'Unutursan Darılmam'. The work turns the author’s struggles outwards, reflecting the effects of a newly diagnosed bipolar disorder off many surfaces of İstanbul. We get to explore the author’s clinging to life. One question emerges from the story: Who is being forgotten here; the photographer or the city? 'Unutursan Darılmam' can be seen at Galeria do Paço da UMinho (Braga) till October 30th.

Oğulcan Arslan, Ci Demi and Ekin Özbiçer are featured in British Journal of Photography's new issue themed 'Tradition&Identity'. In addition to the main feature, Turkey’s photography scene is in focus, guided by the expertise of local writer and curator Merve Arkunlar.

İsmail Yılmaz is exhibiting in 'Settling into the Abyss' curated by Naz Kocadere at Zilberman İstanbul. The exhibition deepens around the notions of representation, identity, grief, justice, solidarity, rebellion and psychological dilemma. In his photographs İsmail Yılmaz documents an individual’s inner exploration through nature, bold and prepared to confront whatever beast he might come across in the way. The exhibition continues till July 1st.

‘İşler Değişti / Change of Plans‘ curated by Cemre Yeşil Gönenli, brings together the works of 12 young artists around the theme of post-pandemic blues. The exhibition, far from documenting the environmental aftermath of the pandemic, tries to understand the psychological and emotional dynamics of the outbreak through the notions of unexpected and sudden decisions, failed plans, isolation, future anxiety, and obscurity. ‘İşler Değişti / Change of Plans‘ can be visited until April 9th at Mixer, İstanbul.

Erdem Varol and Cansu Yıldıran are exhibiting in ‘Hayatta Kalanlar‘ which is the first exhibition of Peep Art Space. ‘Hayatta Kalanlar‘ (those who keep alive, survive in English) implies forms of distress and constellations of hope against them, and attitudes of resilience rallied against hardships. The exhibition aims to collect representations created with these notions by artists who have tackled the impossible with their imaginations and survived. It intends to establish reciprocity between these works and the visitors’ own experience of being themselves. ‘Hayatta Kalanlar‘ runs until Jan. 28th, 2022.

Ateş Alpar, Ekin Çekiç and Erdem Varol are taking part in a group exhibition entitled ‘Forms of Silence‘ initiated by Demo Lab. The exhibition curated by M. Cevahir Akbaş and Derya Ülker aims to to show silence and to open up discussion about being forced into silence in order to remember that we all have a role in constructing the cultural structure, so that the struggle for existence is not reduced to survival. ‘Forms of Silence‘ takes place at Kıraathane İstanbul Edebiyat Evi between 10 December 2021-17 January 2022.

Oğulcan Arslan is among the selected artists of Mamut Art Project 2021 which will take place between 19-31 October, 2021. Mamut Art Project 2021 is the biggest art event and first fair in Turkey dedicated to providing a dynamic platform for independent & emerging artists since 2013. Arslan will be exhibiting his series 'Put on my Geneva Armour', in which a foggy turquoise color predominates and are like pages torn from his diary and put together. As Arslan explains, each photograph represents a letter, a word, and sometimes a punctuation mark; therefore, the diptych, triptych and single photographs we encounter are also open to be read as texts.

Bilsart is hosting Elçin Acun’s exhibition entitled ‘Allegory Of A Dream‘ between 7-16 October. In this video installation, curated by Melike Bayık, transparent body images, which are caught between visibility and invisibility, aim to occupy the masculine public space with illusions wandering silently and recklessly in various urban spaces. These body images explore the limits of possibly existing as a dream in reality. They rehearse a dream where a queer and feminist possibility has taken over.

Oğulcan Arslan is selected as one of the Fresh Talents 2021. Powered by GUP Magazine, the jury has selected 150 emerging talents from across the European continent from a diverse array of backgrounds — freshly graduated photography students and autodidactic photographers among them — all of whom are making their first foray into the exciting world that is photography. The Fresh Eyes 2021 book launch took place at Keilepand Rotterdam between July, 1-4.

Erdem Varol is among the artists of the ‘Sleeper in Metropolis‘ virtual exhibition of Siilk Gallery. The exhibition curated by Daniel Peace & Nicole Oike is the 3rd virtual exhibition of Siilk Gallery bringing audiences and artists together digitally, online, to help promote and expand the exposure of artists' works they love from around the globe. The title borrows its name from a song by the 80’s artist Anne Clark which is a track about being present but not active throughout changes that are out of people's control.

You can visit the exhibition here

Altay Tuz is exhibiting some works from his series 'Members Only' in the framework of 'STRANGERHOOD' which invites cultural practitioners from diverse frameworks to perform interventions in the venue, Restaurant Porte St-Denis, Paris, in an attempt to explore the public spaces of encounter as the visual space of the political. The exhibition is curated by Alara Villa & Ayşe Ertung and will take place between June 17th till July 8th.

İrem Sözen and Oğuz Karakütük are selected for the 'Rethinking Nature' slide show which will be premiered during the European Month of Photography in Luxembourg at the Casino Luxembourg and on view there during the whole festival period. 
The 'Rethinking Nature' slide show with a total length of 20 minutes assembles a large variety of points of view on nature that illustrate, filter, and analyse the present ambiguity of our vision - part sentimental dwelling in nostalgic contemplation, part illustration of destruction and exploitation of the environment.
Second venue of 'Rethinking Nature' will be during Imago Lisboa at Carpintarias de São Lázaro in October 1-31, 2021. And finally will be screened in Vienna at the festival center of FOTO WIEN from March 9 to March 27, 2022.

Cansu Yıldıran talk to Tom Seymour about their latest project 'Fathom' and their art. 

"Fathom is an exploration of what it means to be queer for Yıldıran. Deep within, an attempt to visualise the fabric of who they are. It’s the work of someone pushing through a forest at night, unafraid to push further – even when it might be easier to turn back."

Read the full article here

İrem Sözen is selected as one of the 2 artists for the 2021-2022 period of Berlin Senate Residency Program which promotes cultural exchange and supports the artistic development of professional artists as a component of the active sister city relations between Berlin and Istanbul. Throughout the residency, Sözen will develop her project 'Album of remarks' that she started in zoos and botanical gardens in Berlin, extending it spatially and continuing her research on the historical and philosophical foundations of these structures.

Ci Demi participated in a group exhibition entitled 'What Makes a Home' at Ideal Glass Studios, New York from 25-27 September. 'What Makes a Home' showcases work commissioned by Better Shelter from three photographers - Björn Wallander, Ci Demi and Ali Haj Suleiman. Over the past decade, Better Shelter has worked in more than 80 countries, providing shelter to hundreds of thousands of people affected by conflict and disaster. 'What Makes a Home' shifts the focus from adversity and trauma to brief, intimate moments of joy, resilience and creativity - moments when life can be about more than survival. A book of interviews and hundreds of photographs from the project will be published in December 2024.

Ci Demi is exhibiting a selection from his series ‘No Offense If You Forget’ in the group exhibition 'Impulsive Impressions' at Simbart Projects, Istanbul. The exhibition brings together the four artists' works across different mediums in a dialogue where boundaries are blurred, meaning is transformed and sometimes distance plays a role in the interaction with viewer. The works, which approach impressions of life from various perspectives, highlight traces of impulses, the unknown and memory. Demi's series ‘No Offense If You Forget’ focuses on moments when the artist searches traces of his own state of mind in Istanbul during a three-year period of depression. 'Impulsive Impressions' is on view till October 19th.

Serhat Kır is one of the artists in this year's edition of the Mamut Art Project with his latest work 'Towards the Sea', which critically examines man-made geographical and ecological changes while opening up the discussion on land ownership, autonomy of use and transformation. Mamut Art Project is an art event dedicated to providing a dynamic platform for independent & emerging artists and the concept of accessible art since 2013. The 11th edition of Mamut Art Project can be visited at Yapı Kredi bomontiada between 22-26 May 2024.

Ci Demi takes part in the group exhibition 'Italo Calvino 100+1 Years Old' to celebrate Calvino's 101st birthday. Curated by Bilge Bal, Orhan Cem Doğan and Sevil Enginsoy Ekinci, the exhibition invites visitors to re-read his work as transdisciplinary practices that transcend the boundaries of literature, with perspectives/stories/experiences from Turkey. The exhibition opens a space for the creative possibilities of translation from language to language, we explore the transformative power of all kinds of translation; from image to word, from word to line, from line to thread, from weaving to knitting, from geography to sheet of paper, from photography to collage, from map to moving image, from postcard to game. Italo Calvino 100+1 Years Old' can be seen at Kıraathane Istanbul House of Literature between 23 February and 22 March 2024.

Fatma Çelik will give an artist talk about her ongoing work 'Back To Nature' at Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien, Berlin on 8 December from 17:00 to 19:30. Çelik is currently continuing her Berlin Senate Residency Programme and during the residency she is focusing on the second phase of 'Back to Nature' with women who have created their own space in Hevrin Xelef Garden under the umbrella of Flamingo e.v., a Berlin-based organisation that works primarily with migrants. Çelik will be in conversation with Ingo Arend, moderated by Can Mileva Rastovic.

Cansu Yıldıran has been selected as one of the 20 artists of the Foam Talent Call 2023. This group of photographers from around the world will participate in the biennial Foam Talent mentorship programme and various activities that will take place in 2024 and 2025. They will gain international exposure through publication in Foam Magazine's Talent Issue, debut with a group exhibition at Foam that will travel further in 2025, and have the opportunity to showcase their work on Foam's digital platform. In addition, the Talents will have the opportunity to have their work included in the prestigious Art Collection Deutsche Börse of the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation.

Oğulcan Arslan is taking part in the group exhibition 'the sea pulls me, the world snares me', in which four artists are the narrators of their own stories. Bringing together works by Oğulcan Arslan, Eda Emirdağ, Gizem Çelik and Suzan Pektaş, 'the sea pulls me, the world snares me' offers a plural and poetic vision of a world of images that evolves in the form of ourselves and others, with each artist as the narrator of his or her own story. The show focuses on different moments that observe and shape the world in darkness and light, in a perception of time that stretches. 'the sea pulls me, the world snares me', realised within 212 Photography Istanbul, can be seen until October 15th at Büyükdere35, Istanbul. 

Ateş Alpar takes part in the group exhibition '2019', curated by Yekhan Pınarlıgil. Reviving the sensual memory of the 2019 nightclub, which opened in 1993 in a car cemetery next to the Maslak auto industry site and quickly gained cult status, the exhibition aims to preserve the memory of the oases that emerged in Istanbul's nightlife in the short period from the late 80s to the early 2000s. The exhibition can be seen at Zilberman Istanbul till November 25th.

Oğulcan Arslan's new book 'Put on my Geneva Armour' has been published by Grani Edizioni, Rome. The result of five years' work, 'Put on my Geneva Armour' explores Arslan's interest in multiple shades of blue. Guided by the colour of Lake Geneva, Arslan focuses on his feelings for the first time. The photographs are arranged in diptychs and triptychs, or in layers, as is the book which is designed and produced by Valentino Barachini. The first edition of the book is 100 copies, including 15 deluxe copies with a photo printed on aluminium.

Fatma Çelik has been selected as one of the artists for The Noorderlicht International Photo Festival and will be exhibiting her latest work 'Back to Nature' at Museum Opsterlân from July 15th. This year's edition of the festival has the theme REGENERATE, within which several exhibitions will be held in the provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe until 10 December. The REGENERATE theme brings together works that explore the changes that modern society is currently facing. Regeneration means looking at how we deal with these changes, together with our immediate environment, ourselves and the world. The festival is therefore divided into three perspectives: REGENERATE LIFE, REGENERATE OURSELVES and REGENERATE SOCIETY. Back to Nature', together with works by Sabine Grootendorst and Bob Miller, can be seen at Museum Opsterlân until September 30th.

Ci Demi is taking part in the group exhibition 'Love, Peace and Harmony' which is a celebration of the strength and resilience of humanity. Focusing on the concepts of solidarity and support, the exhibition tells about the pursuit of achieving common goals, overcoming difficulties and changing the world in a positive way by acting together. Curated by Bengü Gün, as part of the inauguration of Artİstanbul Feshane, 

'Love, Peace and Harmony' is a testament to the power of being "together" despite our differences and the strength that emerges when we act in solidarity.

Curated by Tuba Kocakaya, 'You Are Another Me' brings together the works of 7 artists who produce works centered on sexuality and the body. 'You Are Another Me' embraces the marginal instead of marginalization, and in this way, it explores the normal/marginal dichotomy and promises to provide an inspiring experience for a fairer, more equitable and inclusive world. 'You Are Another Me' can be seen at Koli Art Space, İstanbul till July 16th.

Curated by art journalist M. Gülben Çapan, 'Who Doesn’t Love You, May Die' is named after Tüdünya’s 1986 hit song (aka, Seni Sevmeyen Ölsün), featuring a selection of interdisciplinary works of 8 artists working with different materials and techniques, including Anıl Can, Ardan Özmenoğlu, CANAN, Cansu Yıldıran, Haluk Çobanoğlu, Rasim Aksan, Tuğberk Selçuk and Yasemin Özcan. A major cultural phenomenon of the 1960s that emerged as a reaction to Turkey’s modernization efforts, Arabesque is the main theme of the exhibition. The exhibition highlights the journey of Arabesque music changing and evolving into a popular music genre that is enjoyed by wider audiences by being liberated day by day. 'Who Doesn’t Love You, May Die' will be on display at Anna Laudel, İstanbul until September 10th.

Istanbul's first Art Nouveau building Botter Apartment (Casa Botter) reopens its doors with its first exhibition 'Reveries, Truths'. Curated by Melike Bayık and featuring Larissa Araz, Mehtap Baydu, Sena Başöz, Orhan Cem Çetin, Cevdet Erek, Ulaş Eryavuz, Ece Gökalp, Berat Işık, Ali Miharbi, Studio Pinprick, Güneş Terkol, Erdem Varol and Emir Yağmurca, 'Reveries, Truths' will continue until July 16th. The building, which re-opened its doors under the name of 'Casa Botter Art and Design Center', brings together the 123-year memory of the city's firsts with the healing power of culture and art. 

'Fractured Modernities: Contemporary Art from Turkey' explores the present moment in Turkey’s cultural history through the work of artists Didem Erbaş, Merve Ünsal, Erdem Varol, and Zeynep Kayan. The unique crossroads between empire and republic, heritage and modernity, and containment and globalization have forged complex webs in the fabric of the Turkish society that are present in each artist’s work, as the nation grapples with its own identity and the social and cultural forces that make it so pluralistic. A dominant thread that brings the artists’ work together is a connection to this multicultural past, its manifestations in the present, and a critique of Turkey’s simplistic reputation as a bridge between the East and the West. The show aims to fill a gap in contemporary art discourse by offering a rare look at the artworks being made in Turkey today. 'Fractured Modernities: Contemporary Art from Turkey' can be seen at Academy Art Museum, Maryland, USA till April 16th, 2023.

Melike Koçak joins PASAJ's 'small things' studio residency program at Barın Han, İstanbul as a guest artist from Jan 31st onwards. 'small things' aims to provide the necessary environment for artists to focus on what they want to do. It is an occasion for artists to discuss the workshop process and their work with other artists, art professionals and art lovers. During this residency, Koçak will carry her project 'Soft Stone' which aims to go beyond the representations of Sultanahmet and to touch Sultanahmet as a neighborhood in collaboration with Metehan Özcan, Zeynep Özkanca, Eren Yıldırım, Ege Kanar and Umut Erbaş until Feb 25th.

Ali Saltan's photography exhibition 'Stories: crossing the border' is a photographic journey through Turkey to the lives of Syrian, Afghan, Iraqi, and Iranian refugees. The exhibition is realized for GIZ's Community-Based Local Initiatives Project (CLIP 2) and features individual stories of refugees and asylum seekers in Turkey. 'Stories: crossing the border' can be seen at Aquarium Am Südblock in Berlin till Dec 4th.

Erdem Varol's latest book 'Dolana Dolaşa' is among the books exhibited in 'Bound Narratives: A Photobook Library' that brings together a curated selection of photobooks made from and about South West Asia and North Africa by a wide variety of talented authors and artists. 'Bound Narratives' emphasizes the importance of sharing the myriad of perspectives from local and diasporic communities, the power of subversive narratives and self-representation. 'Bound Narratives' curated by Roï Saade can be seen at Museo Novecento till October 23rd as part of Middle East Now Festival.

Serhat Kır and Damla Şahinbaş are among the 10 finalists of 212 Photography Istanbul Competition. The winner will be entitled to be featured in 212 Magazine and receive a cash prize of 5000 Euros. 212 Photography Istanbul, taking place between 6-16 October, is a city festival with its large scale of participants that expands horizons and encourages the culture and art audience to navigate different routes in Istanbul.

Cansu Yıldıran are selected as one of the seven grantees of the 2022 Women Photograph Project Grants among over 1,300 applications from women and nonbinary photographers around the world. The $5,000 grants will support photography projects — either new or in-progress — from visual journalists working in a documentary capacity.

The photo festivals FOTO WIEN, Mois européen de la photographie Luxembourg and IMAGO LISBOA have teamed up to issue an international call for entries on the theme of Rethinking Nature. The eponymous slide show now brings together 111 selected artistic positions from 31 countries -a multitude of perspectives that illustrate, filter and analyse the current ambiguity of our view of nature: part senti- mental lingering in nostalgic contemplation, part illustration of the exploitation and destruction of the environment. Following its screenings at Mois européen de la photographie Luxembourg and IMAGO LISBOA, the slide show can be now viewed at Festivalzentrale: Atelier Augarten until March 27h as part of Foto Wien.

Erdem Varol is among the 17 artists exhibiting in ‘Bana Yalan Söylediler‘ ('they lied to me' in English) curated by theurbanarts and Gözde Filinta. The exhibition centers around the notion of post-truth and brings together works from 17 artists from Turkey addressing this issue. ‘Bana Yalan Söylediler‘ takes place at Atlas Pavyonu, İzmir until March 28th, 2022.

İsmail Yılmaz is exhibiting a selection from his series ‘Returning Home‘ in ‘Recto-Verso‘ at C.A.M. Gallery between 18 December 2021-9 January 2022. ‘Recto-Verso‘ with the metaphors appending to pneuma offers a prosperous context that pertains to form and theme and offers an anthology from the artworks –as a preview- of the artists that the gallery will hold their solo exhibitions in 2022.

Ali Saltan wins the Lee Award at OFF Bratislava 2021 with his series ‘Araf‘. Upon the decision of an expert four‑member jury, the LEE Award is given to an artist for a progressive and inventive work in the field of photography and new media. Together with the LEE Award, an original piece by the ceramist Simona Janišová, Saltan received a 5000 Euro prize.

Ateş Alpar are exhibiting a video entitled ‘The things we carry‘ as part of the exhibition ‘When nothing happens‘ between 9-24 October at Çatı Art Space, İzmir. The video draws attention to what the silenced carry, and aims to make the ordinary visible again. Alpar bring us eye to eye with those whose voice we do not hear even though they speak. ‘When Nothing Happens‘, the contemporary art project by Yellow Submarine Art Initiative departs from Georges Perec’s question “What Happens When Nothing Happens?”. By bringing together independent artists from different disciplines, it takes a closer look at the system that feeds daily life, the ordinary, and the things we’ve never thought about, through the testimonies of the artists, their transfer of experience or their intuitive production.​ ceased to amaze us.

Ateş Alpar, Damla Şahinbaş and Erdem Varol are exhibiting works in ‘Courage to Care‘ that will take place at The Bar in Beyoğlu, İstanbul between 2-31 October, 2021. The curators Muhterem Semiz and M. Cevahir Akbaş state their intentions as follows: "When The Bar that devotes itself to protect Beyoğlu’s culture meets with the wish of our generation to collect memory, it becomes a way of unlimited communication. In this atmosphere where we can express ourselves, we bring together our own stories. With the strength we get from being together we present the artworks of what we feel and care about in a poster exhibition." 

Rhythm Section Salon Binär is a digital gallery in public space that gives artists the opportunity to be seen and invites viewers to participate in the development of digital art. Rhythm Section Salon Binär aims to make art visible to visitors by displaying works on 1800 screens in the public urban spaces of Munich between July 5-7, 2021. The digital gallery is curated by Ezgi Bakçay and Karin Wimmer, and showcases works by 11 artists. 

Erdem Varol's 'Dolana Dolaşa' (Tangle and Meander) is the first title in the multi-volume publication project Tefrika İstanbul by Onagöre from İstanbul, on İstanbul, produced in İstanbul. Erdem Varol contributes a drift through streets of old and contemporary districts of İstanbul. 

Tefrika İstanbul is planned to be published as 7 episodes and an extra page is incorporated into the design of each title to enable binding the different volumes together. 

You can order the book here

GUP Magazine published a review by Sophie Beerens on Oğulcan Arslan's ‘All The Rivers Flow in the Nuthouse’ which was published by Origini Edizioni in 2020. “Arslan’s intimate project, with his friend at the center, becomes a memento for that which has been lost, and all of the feelings that come with this sense of loss: dejection, pain, melancholy, nostalgia, but also recollections of joy and innocence, small moments of abandon and spontaneity, and other emotions too sharp to formalize into words.“ 

Read the full article here

Ekin Özbiçer is the guest of '10 Questions' on 212 Studio's Youtube channel. She answers questions about her practice, how she started photography and her series 'Slavia', 'Blue Flag' and 'Replica'. Özbiçer also talks about her latest project 'hurriyetemlakbulues' which is an instagram account of found images depicting the curious taste of Turkish interior design, sorted out from popular real estate portals.

Ali Saltan is listed among the finalists of this year's Lens Culture Portrait Aards with his portrait of the Afghan refugee Zohreh from his series 'Araf'. The jury has selected 38 winners, jurors’ picks and finalists from 19 countries.

During his residency at Westwerk, between January-March 2021, Tuz continued to work on his project 'Members Only' which focuses on the coffeehouses where guest workers from Turkey spend their free time. Tuz presented an installation of his work 'Members Only' as part of CoronaVision II at Westwerk between the dates 21-27 February. CoronaVision is a series of exhibitions in which Westwerk's artists show their work in the shop window.