The Tophane art walk maps the local art galleries and museums of Tophane, Karakoy, and Cihangir. A walk through these exhibits vividly portrays Istanbul’s local art scene.
Istanbul Modern opens on Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm, opens on Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm, closes on Mondays, and gives free admission to residents of Turkey on Thursdays. The museum currently exhibits the contact sheets of Magnum photographers until August 2015. In addition, its outdoor restaurant balcony gives an excellent view of the Bosphorus.
Continue to the art galleries in Tophane and Cihangir. Most of these galleries usually close by 7 pm so plan to only stay at the museum for a couple of hours. Exiting Istanbul Modern, turn left, cross the street at the Tophane tram station, and walk up Bogazkesen street , which means ‘cut throat’ in Turkish because the street starts at the seaside and continues all the way up the hill to Istiklal.
First, visit Mixer, an art gallery that hosts the most entertaining openings with DJ music and free beverages. Look for the bright yellow wooden slats to find the entrance. Sign up for the e-mail lists for invites to the fun exhibit openings. Artist Gulsah Bayraktar’s ‘close to self’ exhibit of postcard-size drawings of portraits and objects is currently on display.
Continue uphill and cross the street to visit the Daire and Pg Art galleries next to Pas Coffee House. These single room galleries frequently rotate the exhibits with diverse art forms from paintings to sculptures. Some exhibits even provide tactile, hands-on experiences that encourage the visitors to participate and speak together about the ideas.
All of the exhibits include pamphlets written in both Turkish and English. In this sense, the Tophane art walk builds community and promotes a dialogue between both locals and international visitors on Istanbul’s art scene.
**This article was originally published on March 31, 2015, at http://turkishvisafees.com/tophane-art-walk-istanbul/
Istanbul Modern opens on Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm, opens on Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm, closes on Mondays, and gives free admission to residents of Turkey on Thursdays. The museum currently exhibits the contact sheets of Magnum photographers until August 2015. In addition, its outdoor restaurant balcony gives an excellent view of the Bosphorus.
Continue to the art galleries in Tophane and Cihangir. Most of these galleries usually close by 7 pm so plan to only stay at the museum for a couple of hours. Exiting Istanbul Modern, turn left, cross the street at the Tophane tram station, and walk up Bogazkesen street , which means ‘cut throat’ in Turkish because the street starts at the seaside and continues all the way up the hill to Istiklal.
First, visit Mixer, an art gallery that hosts the most entertaining openings with DJ music and free beverages. Look for the bright yellow wooden slats to find the entrance. Sign up for the e-mail lists for invites to the fun exhibit openings. Artist Gulsah Bayraktar’s ‘close to self’ exhibit of postcard-size drawings of portraits and objects is currently on display.
Continue uphill and cross the street to visit the Daire and Pg Art galleries next to Pas Coffee House. These single room galleries frequently rotate the exhibits with diverse art forms from paintings to sculptures. Some exhibits even provide tactile, hands-on experiences that encourage the visitors to participate and speak together about the ideas.
All of the exhibits include pamphlets written in both Turkish and English. In this sense, the Tophane art walk builds community and promotes a dialogue between both locals and international visitors on Istanbul’s art scene.
**This article was originally published on March 31, 2015, at http://turkishvisafees.com/tophane-art-walk-istanbul/