Flowing City

Exploring Istanbul through the lens of water, “Flowing City” examines the city’s natural and built environments, as well as its cultural and architectural history, through its interactions with different geographies. Drawing on Istanbul Modern’s collection, the exhibition presents how Istanbul has been perceived and depicted from the 18th century to the present, and how its urban image has evolved over time.

Examining the role of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, and freshwater ecosystems in shaping Istanbul’s visual and cultural identity, the exhibition also highlights the influence of artistic approaches developed in international art circles on representations of the city. Works by artists who have lived in Istanbul, alongside those who have visited the city, approach Istanbul as a meeting ground shaped by cultural dialogues.

“Flowing City” presents Istanbul’s visual heritage, developed over centuries and documented by generations of artists, while revealing shared understandings and associations between past and present. Tracing connections among artistic perspectives, the selection reflects on the city’s water-centered culture and how it has been represented in the exhibition.

Artists: Abdülmecid Efendi, Şeref Akdik, Naile Akıncı, Hoca Ali Rıza, Yolande Ardissone, Volkan Aslan, Mónica Baptista, Albert Barry, Sena Başöz, Hasan Vecih Bereketoğlu, Aliye Berger, Carlo Bossoli, Fabius Brest, TUNCA & Guido Caseretto, Julie Chaffort, Cansu Çakar, Aslı Çavuşoğlu, İlhami Demirci, Cevat Dereli, Cevat Erkul, Mıgırdiç Givanian, Nazmi Ziya Güran, Sibel Horada, Fahri Kaptan, Karin Kneffel, Edip Hakkı Köseoğlu, Lundahl & Seitl, Hikmet Onat, Othmar Pferschy, Piknik Works, Dimitris Skyllas, İrem Tok, Jean-Baptiste Vanmour

Exhibition Curators: Nilay Dursun, Ümit Mesci

Image:
Cansu Çakar, 1988
Golden Fleece, 2025 (detail)
Istanbul Museum of Modern Art Collection