Hot Spot Istanbul

Art in Turkey

It is a contemporary coincidence that the term “HOT SPOT” should have become so topical—a term that has been chosen to describe a group project on Turkish abstract and conceptual art in Zurich-based Museum Haus Konstruktiv in summer 2013. However, it is no coincidence that the secular ideas and concepts underlying the exhibition should generally seek to find space for themselves on social and political levels. If the citizens’ protests have substantial support from artists, then this is also indirectly related to the progressive development of contemporary art in Turkey today.

Ever since the first Istanbul Biennial in 1987, art has been an essential driver of cultural and civil dynamics. This long development has led to a critical mass which, in an abstract sense, has now manifested itself in the exhibition “Hot Spot Istanbul” with its 21 artists (Can Altay, Adnan Coker, Nejat Melih Devrim, Burhan Dogançay, Serhat Kiraz, Renée Levi, Ahmet Oktem, Ahmet Orhan, Mübin Orhon, Abdurrahman Oztoprak, Seckin Pirim, Sarkis, Nejat Sati, Arslan Sükan, Erdem Tasdelen, Canan Tolon, Seyhun Topuz, Omer Uluç, Ebru Uygun, Ekrem Yalçindag, Fahrelnissa Zeid, with photographs by Pari Dukovic).

It is the first comprehensive exhibition featuring a new generation of artists, dealing equally with local roots and global artistic questions. The exhibition and accompanying catalogue give a tangible impression of the city’s vibrant energy—a city that has been extremely cosmopolitan for many generations. “Hot Spot Istanbul” makes one thing very clear: this megalopolis is a bridge, not a border.

Published with Stiftung für konstruktive, konkrete und konzeptuelle Kunst and Museum Haus Konstruktiv, Zurich.