Semiha Berksoy Exhibition at Istanbul Modern, Sponsored by Flormar: Aria of All Colors

Istanbul Modern presents “Semiha Berksoy: Aria of All Colors,” an exhibition bringing together the multifaceted body of work of Semiha Berksoy, one of the most important women artists of the Republican era and Türkiye’s modern history. Sponsored by Flormar, the exhibition will be open to visitors from January 22 to September 6, 2026.

“Aria of All Colors” brings together Berksoy’s oeuvre spanning the visual and performing arts, cinema, and literature. The singular connections she forged between opera, theater, painting, and literature are presented to audiences through more than 200 works.

Through a thematic structure, the exhibition presents Berksoy’s personal mythology and her profound relationship with performance, from her early drawings to self-portraits, portraits, large-scale sheet paintings, and opera-themed paintings. The operas in which she starred, the theater productions she performed, her published short story, and her role in Streets of Istanbul, Türkiye’s first sound film, together reveal the full scope of her artistic contributions. Drawing on the dynamism of Berksoy’s life, these works deepen our appreciation of art’s universality while illuminating the creative power of the human spirit.

As the most comprehensive exhibition on Semiha Berksoy ever presented in Türkiye, “Aria of All Colors” meets audiences with the main sponsorship of Flormar, Türkiye’s leading makeup brand*, renowned for its expertise in color. Beyond offering its products to women in more than 80 countries, Flormar continues its support for culture and the arts by contributing to the realization of this exhibition.

The exhibition “Semiha Berksoy: Singing in Full Color,” which presented the artist’s work in a comprehensive manner in Germany for the first time, was held at Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart in Berlin from December 6, 2024, to May 11, 2025. Conceived as an operatic stage and curated by Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, with curatorial assistance by Emily Finkelstein and Agnes Lammert, the exhibition explored Berksoy’s enduring connection to Berlin and her production across multiple disciplines.

Prepared by Istanbul Modern’s Chief Curator Öykü Özsoy Sağnak, Curator Deniz Pehlivaner, and Assistant Curator Yazın Öztürk, the exhibition at Istanbul Modern expands this framework, presenting Semiha Berksoy’s work under a new title and curatorial approach. It offers a multilayered narrative enriched with sound recordings, moving images, ephemera, and photographs.

Highlights of the Exhibition

The exhibition unfolds through a thematically rather than chronologically, while guiding visitors across key moments in Berksoy’s life. The selection foregrounds her personal mythology, her deep relationship with the stage, and her understanding of art as a lived practice. 

Centered around the “Red Room,” which evokes a stage atmosphere, the exhibition features paintings inspired by Berksoy’s operatic roles, early drawings, works focusing on her mother Fatma Saime Hanım, self-portraits and portraits, and sheet paintings created on everyday fabrics. Reflecting Berksoy’s multidimensional artistic identity, the exhibition also includes an area inspired by her short story “Letter from the Grave” (1935), screenings from Streets of Istanbul (1931) – Türkiye’s first sound film – and Söz Bir Allah Bir (1933), in which Berksoy also appeared, as well as ephemera including photographs.

PRESS CONFERENCE

The exhibition’s press conference and preview were attended by Oya Eczacıbaşı, Chair of the Board of Istanbul Modern, Flormar CEO Tuba Altunterim, and the exhibition’s curators – Istanbul Modern Chief Curator Öykü Özsoy Sağnak and Curator Deniz Pehlivaner. Berksoy’s daughter, theater and cinema artist Zeliha Berksoy also participated, sharing her reflections on her mother’s life and the exhibition. 

Eczacıbaşı: Istanbul Modern Continues to Highlight Women Artists

Speaking at the press conference, Oya Eczacıbaşı, Chair of the Board of Istanbul Modern, emphasized Istanbul Modern’s mission to increase the visibility of women artists:

“We are delighted to bring Semiha Berksoy’s multifaceted production together with audiences at Istanbul Modern. Since our founding, increasing the visibility of women artists and bringing their work to broader audiences has been among our priorities. Developing a distinctive expressive language across fields such as stage, painting, cinema, theater, literature, music, and performance, Semiha Berksoy is a singular figure representing the pioneering role of women artists in Türkiye’s art history. With her most comprehensive exhibition in Türkiye, we examine more than 70 years of artistic production and offer visitors the opportunity to experience Berksoy’s creative universe in depth.”

Altunterim: Proud to Support Berksoy’s Creative Legacy

Flormar CEO Tuba Altunterim underlined the importance of the brand’s support for culture and the arts, noting the strong connection between Berksoy’s artistic courage, passion for color, and Flormar’s values:

“Beyond being Türkiye’s leading makeup brand, Flormar has become a strong global player with a presence in more than 80 countries. In both Türkiye and international research, when consumers are asked what Flormar represents to them, the clear answer is ‘expertise in color.’ Our reason for being is to elevate women’s mood through colors inspired by nature and life. Art, too, is a source of inspiration that stimulates creativity and lifts our spirits. For this reason, we are proud to support the presentation of the creative legacy of Semiha Berksoy – an artist far ahead of her time – to art audiences in Türkiye through this comprehensive exhibition.”

Zeliha Berksoy: She Reflected Life, Struggle, and Hope in Her Paintings

Zeliha Berksoy shared the following reflections:

“When my mother painted, she entered a completely different state – she demanded silence and focused entirely on her work. Her works carried both a deep intellectual foundation and a strong sense of protest. She always chose her materials instinctively: canvas, sheets, cardboard, even a refrigerator door… For her, when the material revealed itself, creation began. Her paintings reflect life, struggle, and hope; as in ‘Woman Trapped in a Mangle’, she taught us that even when crushed, one must face life with hope and courage. Presenting Semiha Berksoy’s unique artistic universe to new generations through ‘Aria of All Colors’ at Istanbul Modern fills me with both pride and excitement. I hope her works open new horizons of creativity for young artists and audiences alike.”

Beyond a Chronological Narrative

Chief Curator Öykü Özsoy Sağnak noted:

“‘Aria of All Colors’ approaches Berksoy’s life and work through a thematic lens rather than a linear chronology, aiming to foreground her deep relationship with the stage, her personal mythology, and her interdisciplinary modes of production.” 

Curator Deniz Pehlivaner added: 

“Semiha Berksoy’s passion for artistic creation, her determination as a woman of the Republican generation, and her perseverance in shaping both herself and her art constitute the driving forces behind her practice. Her paintings form a unique expressive field in which the bodily and emotional experience of the opera stage is carried onto the canvas, and personal memory intertwines with collective history.”

Exhibition Publication

The exhibition catalogue for “Semiha Berksoy: Aria of All Colors” features texts by academic, writer, and theater critic Dikmen Gürün; academic Ayşe Güngör; Hamburger Bahnhof Director, curator, and writer Sam Bardaouil; and artist Elif Uras. It also includes a conversation between Zeliha Berksoy and Assistant Curator Yazın Öztürk, as well as exhibition-specific texts by curators Deniz Pehlivaner and Öykü Özsoy Sağnak.

Workshops for Children and Young People

Istanbul Modern’s Education and Social Projects Department aims to introduce Berksoy’s multidisciplinary practice and creative world to audiences of different age groups. Through specially designed workshops, children and young visitors will have the opportunity to experience the artist’s creative processes across stage performance, painting, and music.

Istanbul Modern Shop

In addition to the exhibition catalogue, Istanbul Modern Shop presents a special selection of products inspired by Semiha Berksoy’s works. Products by Flormar, the exhibition’s sponsor, will also be available for purchase at the shop throughout the exhibition period, with proceeds supporting Istanbul Modern.

About Semiha Berksoy

Semiha Berksoy (1910–2004) was Türkiye’s first high dramatic soprano, the principal artist of the Ankara State Opera, and an artist whose practice spanned painting, performance, theater, and cinema. In the early years of the Republic, she studied painting and sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts, drama at the Theater School, and music at the Istanbul Municipal Conservatory, before graduating with top honors from the Berlin State Academy of Music. Beyond being the first Turkish woman to perform leading operatic roles on European stages, Berksoy is one of the pioneers of Türkiye’s modern history, with an extraordinary body of work across the performing arts, literature, and visual arts spanning more than 70 years.

*Türkiye’s Leading Makeup Brand: based on volume/unit sales according to the NielsenIQ Türkiye cosmetics report for the period October 2024–September 2025.