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Das Ziel der diesjährigen Ausgabe von „DIYALOG“: Art from Turkey ist, einigen prominenten kommerziellen Galerien, die aktuell in Istanbul tätig sind, aber auch Kunstinstitutionen, Projekträumen und Künstlerorganisationen, eine Plattform zu geben – und damit ein möglichst akkurates und umfassendes Bild von der Kunstszene Istanbuls zu vermitteln. Die hier gezeigten Kunstwerke und vorgestellten Institutionen verbindet eine intellektuelle Tiefe und ästhetische Sensibilität, die in einem einzigartigen und selbstbewussten kulturellen Umfeld begründet sind. Nazli Gurlek, Kuratorin des Projekts “DIYALOG”: Art from Turkey / Supported by OMV Participating Istanbul galleries: Empire Project, NON, Mars, Nev, Rampa, Rodeo. Turkey is a land of 80 million people, and to date art has only had minimal influence on social and political life. Today things are changing. Recently, there has been an increased proliferation of privately sponsored institutions and commercial galleries in Istanbul. The city is becoming an art and culture hub, a meeting point – not only for the region but also globally. Local institutions are responsible for archives and libraries, focusing on the documentation of art, culture, and artistic heritage, and are contributing to the writing of local art history. Privately sponsored institutions of various scales provide support to artists from Turkey who produce and exhibit their work both locally and internationally; they provide resources for art where state support is fundamentally lacking. Corporations and individuals that collect contemporary art are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of introducing their collections to the public. The purpose of this year’s “DIYALOG”: Art from Turkey project is to provide a platform for a selection of prominent commercial galleries currently active in Istanbul, along with institutions, project spaces, and artist initiatives that help provide a concise understanding of the art scene in the city. The artworks on display and the featured institutions share an intellectual rigor and aesthetic sensibility that stem from a highly unique and self-confident cultural context. Nazli Gurlek, curator of the project
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