In Praise of Shadows With the Support of the Culture Programme of the European Union

Istanbul Museum of Modern Art invited its visitors to discover the influence of traditional shadow theater on the cinema of the turn of the 20th century and on contemporary art, with its exhibition "In Praise of Shadows". The exhibition brought together the works of eight contemporary artists from seven different countries and of two master filmmakers from the first half of the 20th century.

By means of the exhibition realized through the support of the European Cultural Foundation, Istanbul Modern, Irish Museum of Modern Art and Benaki Museum will have collaborated for the first time. The exhibition was curated by Paolo Colombo. "In Praise of Shadows", traveled to Dublin from November 5, 2008 to January 4. 2009, and to the Benaki Museum in Athens from May 23 to July 26 2009.

"In Praise of Shadows", reflected the influences of the long history of the shadow theater in Turkey and Greece on contemporary art, and comprised works based on folk tales or simple contemporary narratives. The exhibition presented more than 100 works of shadow theater with dance, opera and music, silhouettes, drawings, texts, manuscripts, and films.

Artists: Haluk Akakçe, Nathalie Djurberg, William Kentridge, Katariina Lillqvist, Jockum Nordström, Lotte Reiniger, Christiana Soulou, Ladislas Starewitch, Andrew Vickery and Kara Walker

Curator: Paolo Colombo