Atölye Modern

ATÖLYE MODERN 2025 FALL TERM

Atölye Modern, Istanbul Modern’s workshop and seminar program for adults*, includes “History of Modernity and Modern Art” and “Contemporary Art and Artificial Intelligence” programs in its Fall term, in addition to a new seminar titled “Concepts and Dynamics of Contemporary Art.”

History of Modernity and Modern Art

October 14, and 21, 2025 | November 4, 18, and 25, 2025 | December 2, 9, 16, and 23, 2025 | January 6 2026

Tuesdays, 19.30–21.30 (10 weeks) (There will be no seminar on October 28, 2025, and November 11, 2025.)

Atölye Modern’s “History of Modernity and Modern Art” seminar program extends from antiquity to the last quarter of the twentieth century, aiming to provide participants with basic knowledge about art history. This program offers an interdisciplinary perspective and a chronological approach to understanding modern and contemporary art. Starting from Ancient Greece, seminars trace the historical footprints of the concept of modernism, the changing aesthetic approaches during the Renaissance and Enlightenment eras, how societal and political transformations are reflected in various art forms such as visual arts, architecture, and literature, and the impact of scientific and technological advancements on art production throughout history.

The program, led by lecturer Fırat Arapoğlu, Prof. Esra Aliçavuşoğlu, and Assoc. Prof. Seda Yavuz, spans ten weeks.

WEEKLY PROGRAM

Week 1: Culture and Art from Ancient Greece to the Middle Ages 
Week 2: Renaissance and the Emergence of Fine Arts 
Week 3: Enlightenment Era: From Taste to Aesthetics 
Week 4: Modern Art and -isms I 
Week 5: Modern Art and -isms II 
Week 6: Modern Sculpture and the Rise of the Avantgarde I 
Week 7: Modern Sculpture and the Rise of the Avantgarde II 
Week 8: Post-Avantgarde 
Week 9: New Forms of Artistic Expression 
Week 10: Beginning of Postmodernity
 

Concepts and Dynamics of Contemporary Art (NEW!)

November 19 and 26, 2025 | December 3, 17, and 24, 2025 | January 7 and 14, 2026 | February 4, 11, and 18, 2026

Wednesdays, 19.30–21.30 (10 Weeks) (There will be no seminar on December 10 and 31, 2025, and January 21 and 28, 2026.)

Atölye Modern’s new seminar program “Concepts and Dynamics of Contemporary Art” is intended for participants seeking to understand the historical background of contemporary art and analyze and interpret contemporary artistic production. Beginning with the last quarter of the twentieth century, the

program explores artistic languages by focusing on themes, and examines the shifts in the dynamics of the art world. Looking into the conceptual frameworks of art in relation to interactions, politics, and technological developments, the program provides an in-depth analysis of the breadth of expression in contemporary art, along with its theories and practices.

The program, led by Prof. Esra Aliçavuşoğlu, Assoc. Prof. Elif Dastarlı, and Assoc. Prof. Ebru Yetişkin, spans ten weeks.

WEEKLY PROGRAM

Week 1: Space and Installation Art in Contemporary Art I
Week 2: Space and Installation Art in Contemporary Art II
Week 3: Body, Identity, and Feminist Politics in Contemporary Art I
Week 4: Body, Identity, and Feminist Politics in Contemporary Art II
Week 5: Global Exhibitions, Biennials, and Fairs in Contemporary Art I
Week 6: Global Exhibitions, Biennials, and Fairs in Contemporary Art II
Week 7: Greek and Roman Mythology in Contemporary Art I
Week 8: Greek and Roman Mythology in Contemporary Art II
Week 9: Nature and Ecology in Contemporary Art I
Week 10: Nature and Ecology in Contemporary Art II

Contemporary Art and Artificial Intelligence

December 18 and 25, 2025 | January 8 and 15, 2026 |February 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2026

Thursdays, 19.30–21.30 (8 weeks) (There will be no seminar on January 1, 22, 29, 2026)

Led by contemporary artist and educator Bager Akbay, these seminars center on artists who work with contemporary technologies, how processes of creating art collections change, and the practices of creating digital art collections.

Concentrating on concepts like “new media,” “digital art,” and “artificial intelligence,” the seminars explore the impact of contemporary technologies on artistic production, the evolving role of the artist, and the traditions and habits of experiencing art. Over the course of eight weeks, the program helps identify technology-focused contemporary art production methods and analyzes the relationship between artificial intelligence and art. Through contemporary examples, it examines traditional biases in experiencing art and explores novel art production techniques that challenge such biases.

WEEKLY PROGRAM

Week 1: New Media Art Production with a Global Perspective
Week 2: New Media Environment in Türkiye
Week 3: Origins and Future of New Media Art 1
Week 4: Origins and Future of New Media Art 2
Week 5: Algorithmic Art
Week 6: Art with Artificial Intelligence I
Week 7: Art with Artificial Intelligence II
Week 8: Searching for New Forms and Approaches in Art Productions Today

*All workshops and seminars are held in Turkish.