Istanbul Modern’s 10th collection exhibition, "Under the Same Blue," has opened...
Istanbul Modern’s 10th collection exhibition, "Under the Same Blue," has opened to visitors in the Dr. Nejat F. Eczacıbaşı Collection Exhibition Hall. Featuring 230 works by 119 artists, the exhibition presents over 40 pieces to the public for the first time. Bringing together works by artists from Turkey and around the world—spanning various geographies and eras—along historical and thematic lines, the exhibition traces the evolution of modern and contemporary art in Türkiye since the 1940s. It also offers new ways of interpreting the collection through encounters and dialogues established with works by international artists, particularly those from the 2000s onwards. Istanbul Modern Artistic Director Çelenk Bafra told an Anadolu Agency (AA) reporter that the exhibition features 230 works by 119 artists, noting: "With 'Under the Same Blue,' Istanbul Modern interprets the collection it has built since its inception through a fresh curatorial approach.
Taking its name from the color blue—which connects diverse times, places, and experiences—the exhibition unites works created in different periods and contexts on common ground. Evoking seas, horizons, dreams, freedom, distances, and moments of coming together, the color blue forms the exhibition's overarching framework." The exhibition approaches Istanbul Modern’s collection through a fresh perspective. Offering insights into the exhibition’s structure and curatorial concept, Bafra shared the following views: "We regard museum collections as intellectual frameworks that make visible how an institution interprets the past and present, and envisions the future. *Under the Same Blue* comprises sections that bring together historical continuity and thematic readings within a unified narrative, without entirely abandoning the chronological art-historical timeline. The color blue—which gives the exhibition its name—provides a conceptual foundation that enables the establishment of new connections across diverse eras and geographies." Noting that the exhibition addresses the art-historical evolution spanning from the 1940s to the present day through two main sections, Bafra stated the following:
The first section of the exhibition examines the evolution of modern and contemporary art in Türkiye from the 1940s through the 2000s within a historical timeline. This section offers a broad panorama ranging from early examples of abstract art to diverse forms of figurative expression, and from the shifting aesthetic approaches of artists to broader social and cultural transformations. The second section brings together works by artists from various generations and geographies; a selection of post-2000 artistic productions is organized under thematic headings, addressing contemporary issues through diverse artistic practices. Co-curator Deniz Pehlivaner highlighted the connections the exhibition establishes between different periods and themes, stating, "*Under the Same Blue* invites us to reconsider artistic productions spanning from the 1940s to the present day through the lens of issues that remain relevant today. Key themes we aim to highlight in the exhibition include art-historical relationships, connections between artists, and the visibility of women artists." Works making their public debut: The exhibition presents over 40 works from the museum's collection to the public for the first time. Featuring an extensive selection of works acquired for the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art Collection through the Women Artists Fund, the exhibition includes pieces such as Fatoş İrwen’s *Rosa*, Yaşam Şaşmazer’s *Taming the Darkness*, Aslı Çavuşoğlu’s *ANNEX*, Candeğer Furtun’s *Applause*, and Burçak Bingöl’s *Hatayi*. The exhibition also presents works by artists such as Antonis Donef, Julie Mehretu, Elif Uras, Attila Galatalı, Mirak Jamal, and Gülsün Karamustafa to the public for the first time.
A selection of photographs from the collection is also featured, showcasing works by some of Türkiye's most significant masters of the medium. The exhibition presents works by Ersin Alok, who introduced an interdisciplinary approach to Turkish photography culture; Ara Güler, awarded the title "Master of Leica" in 1962; Yıldız Moran, the first woman photographer in Türkiye to receive formal academic training; and Sedat Pakay. Bringing together works by artists from diverse generations and geographies, the selection highlights art's evolving forms of expression and the pluralistic perspectives regarding today's world. Addressing contemporary themes—such as abstraction, the figure and the body, identity, the city and space, migration, war, memory, and nature—through mediums including painting, video, photography, sculpture, and installation, each section of the exhibition invites viewers to navigate the layers of art history and contemporary art through selections that focus on the aesthetic and intellectual atmosphere of specific eras. The exhibition also includes works by Abidin Dino, Refik Anadol, Erol Akyavaş, Balkan Naci İslimyeli, Burhan Doğançay, Nuri İyem, Ömer Uluç, Lee Bul, Zhan Wang, Mandy El-Sayegh, Richard Wentworth, and Georg Baselitz.
Source: https://www.sondakika.com/amp/haber-istanbul-modern-in-10-koleksiyon-sergisi-ayni-mavi-20219176/