Istanbul Museum of Modern Art

Profil

As part of its commitment to sharing Turkey's artistic creativity with wide audiences and promoting its cultural identity on the international art scene, the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art hosts a number of interdisciplinary activities.

The Museum embraces a global vision to collect, document, preserve and exhibit creative works of modern and contemporary art and make them accessible to art lovers.

Founded in 2004, Istanbul Modern was the first private museum to organize modern and contemporary art exhibitions in Turkey and it occupies a large site on the shores of the Bosphorus, encompassing 8,000 square meters.

The Museum offers a wide array of services in a multifaceted venue, including permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, photography gallery, library, cinema center, café and a design store. In addition, the Museum also offers video, educational and social programs.

The Museum's collections, exhibitions and educational programs are designed to accomplish 2 important goals among visitors of all ages and from every segment of society:

to foster appreciation for the arts, and
to stimulate active engagement in the arts.

FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD

When Istanbul Modern opened, we promised to offer our audiences an opportunity to witness, learn about, enjoy, appreciate contemporary art and, on a current basis, to become updated with the evolution of contemporary art. In order to establish museum visits as sustained leisure activities, to increase Museum attendance on a cumulative basis, and to constantly capture the public's attention, we aspired to a dynamic and evolving structure. We believe that we have achieved this goal.

The Museum provides a multifaceted, attractive and accessible communications platform that engages the Museum's first-time visitors, in addition to contemporary art enthusiasts, primary school children and scholars.

Overall, we feel that we have created a vibrant, family-friendly space that addresses a wide range of tastes, cultures and interests.

The Museum has become especially attractive to young audiences who are drawn to the interactive activities that we provide. With its permanent and temporary exhibitions galleries, the photography gallery, new media area, video area, library, cinema, educational section, summer school, gift stores, and café, Istanbul Modern encourages a creative and interactive museum experience for its visitors.

The Museum has become a multipurpose cultural center for the encounter of everyday living and culture and, in addition, serves as a catalyst for the collective energy that is generated by the interactive activities and experiences presented by the Museum.

Through an active roster of exhibitions and programs, we believe that we have opened new perspectives, spurred curiosity and encouraged reflection in the Turkish public. As a result of these efforts, we have succeeded in familiarizing the Turkish public with the entire scope of the Museum and we have encouraged frequent Museum visits.

In the 5 years since the Museum's launch, we have organized 4 permanent collection exhibitions and in this time span, hosted a number of temporary exhibits, including a comprehensive exhibition of Turkish sculpture, 3 retrospectives and 7 major international shows.

In addition, we presented art lovers with 17 photography exhibitions, featuring some of the world's best-known artists, as well as 12 video exhibitions, thus bringing a total of 52 events which were held in different areas over the past 5 years.

But Istanbul Modern does not only limit itself to the display of artworks; it aims to fulfill an educational role as well. Both inside and outside of the Museum, we instigated programs to acquaint the younger generation with visual arts. Since the museum opened, hundreds of thousands of children and young people have benefited from our educational offerings.

Complementing all these activities, the private sector, the public and the government, together, have supported the Museum and, as a result, have engendered a novel and unique synergy. The collaboration between these 3 areas has further energized the Museum.

Aware of their social responsibilities, Turkish companies have supported, and continue to support, the various programs and exhibitions undertaken by the Istanbul Modern . To date, our exhibit sponsors have included some of Turkey's leading corporations.

While the support of high quality and widely publicized activities increase the social visibility and esteem of the institutions, individuals and media holdings are also very important. Individuals and media holdings lend us their sponsorship and their contributions, and this, in turn, provides us with the vital assistance we need.

Through the activities I have briefly summed up, Istanbul Modern is now reaching out to broader segments of society and is gradually getting closer to attainment of the original founding objectives. The number of visitors has increased rapidly and, over the past 5 years, has now reached a total of more than 2,5 million. Every passing day, we are more firmly established in the public eye as a brand name, symbolizing the encounter of art and society.

Furthermore, as the Museum consolidated its social ties, it has also achieved international recognition, making it a popular destination today, for visitors to Istanbul, from all parts of the world.

There has been world-wide media reports and beneficial results for Istanbul Modern in the international press. From the day it was launched, the Museum has enjoyed a consistently high level of attention. These days, as we negotiate our entry into the EU, Istanbul Modern has become a regular stopover for foreign correspondents visiting Turkey.

While all critical reviews agree that our modern art legacy goes back a long way, they also stress that Istanbul Modern , which the New York Times called, "the changing face of Turkey," makes a very definite statement about Istanbul's image as a major cultural capital.

Thus, Istanbul Modern is rapidly moving ahead on its path to becoming a recognizable world-wide brand name; a brand name that embodies the Turkish contemporary art scene.

Oya Eczacibasi
Istanbul Modern
Chair of the Board of Directors