Art!

Rumeysa, my host, is a journalist who writes about art and cultural events in Istanbul. Today she showed me some important venues for art in Istanbul. One is ARTER, where we saw an extensive exhibit of Matt Collishaw's work and another exhibit by Volkan Aslan.

Matt Collishaw, The Venal Muse

 Children of a Lesser God

Volkan Aslan, Friday: Miscalculation 

Sunday: Fragile 

After ARTER, we went to a spectacular cultural center, SALT Galata, which offers an art library, exhibitions, comfortable and luxurious space to work or rest that is free and open to the public. I'm going to be spending some quality time there, no doubt! The building was formerly owned by the Ottoman Bank and in the basement vaults of the building there is a fantastic museum about the bank.

Women who worked at the Ottoman Bank

  The sink in the women's room is over-the-top

Nice view!

Rumeysa went on her way to interview a couple of artists, and I decided to try again to see the Museum of Innocence (a collection of memorabilia related to Orhan Pamuk's book by that name). This time it was open, but taking photos was not allowed. That can't stop me from photographing the postcards I bought, though!