Two steps forward and one back?

It is difficult not to only refer to Istanbul when asked about the contemporary art situation in Turkey, because this is where the crux of it happens. There are a small number of artists emerging from Izmir and Ankara, and a strong, but again small scene has over the last few years appeared in Diyarbakir and the surrounding region. But, Istanbul remains where the majority of the artists live and work, it is where the exhibitions take place and where the international art crowd flock every two years for the International Istanbul Biennial. So, to mainly discuss the situation in this particular city is crucial and even more so when it stands at a point that appears to exist inbetween the historical and the contemporary.

There is so much potential for the situation in Istanbul to suddenly launch itself away from the conservative and undemanding modernist ideals many consider contemporary. But, until this happens with more conviction, for every two steps taken forward into the experimental and enlightening arena of contemporary culture by the city’s institutions and their audience, there still seems to be one taken back.

Istanbul is full of energy and things have been happening quickly over the last few years. It almost feels as if there is a deadline approaching, that the previous lack of institutions has created speed, in advance of the forthcoming EU decision, the ratification of new cultural sponsorship laws that offer tax breaks for private businesses, a more positive outlook for the country’s economy and the desire to be the ‘one’ to open ‘Istanbul’s first modern museum’. In light of these changes the city has recently seen contemporary art spaces open, change and close, more often than not without due consideration or public discussion. Their aims, long-term plans and intellectual position are either not discussed, or remain behind closed doors. On the other side of the coin, one can find the remains of philanthropic funding, where the donation of a space and small budgetry assistance allows the marketplace to be dominated by the most mediocre of collectors and local media. Again, this support, (Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center and Borusan Art Gallery aside) which mainly dominates the busy pedestrianised zone of Istiklal Caddesi, is about having a cultural center or gallery to one’s name without a care to what it houses.

There is a constant that runs underneath all these projects, the city’s historical foundation, where things remain static and immersed in tradition. It is the pride in this permanently effective base that remains in tension with the desire to produce a contemporary situation and this is where the fine line of success lies – in managing to completely escape old habits in order to concentrate on the new.

In spring of this year Proje4L Istanbul Contemporary Art Museum, Istanbul’s first major contemporary art space closed. Since its founding in 2001, a number of the most important contemporary art exhibitions to happen in Turkey in the last five years, took place at Proje4L. Both Under The Beach the Pavement curated by Vasif Kortun and I’m Too Sad to Kill You curated by Halil Altindere provided a much-needed platform for Turkey’s new generation of artists and without bias to Istanbul’s local artist base. These felt like positive times. The work was not always fantastic, but the attitude and potential were there. As Vasif Kortun stepped down as director and the museum’s funding became more of an issue, the program seemed to loose direction and the institutions lack of a collection meant that it had no true stability or focus. Still, its closure should have caused a reaction and a discussion about how it could have continued, moved or shifted, but instead the event was all but glossed over by the Turkish media and even those working in the contemporary art sphere with shared interests.

By no means substitutes, but at least new beginnings for Istanbul's museum culture, are plans for two new spaces; the first, a museum of modern and contemporary art at the Silahtaraga Power Station campus anticipated to open late next year, and the other, due to open as early as November is Istanbul Modern. The latter will house a collection of modern Turkish art, temporary exhibition spaces, as well as a public library and archive - entry will be free. This museum initiative has been backed by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Art and will be located in the old customs warehouse on the Bosphorus that was used as the main site for the 4th and 8th International Istanbul Biennials. With the appointment of Rosa Martinez as head of exhibitions, there is growing expectation as to whether this will make the difference between the museum existing as a static display of Turkish work, or becoming a lively, internationally reputed museum. It is though, the decision of starting a contemporary collection of Turkish work, that will make or break its success.

While the institutions here continue a fragile existence, it is the individuals - the artists, curators and critics from Turkey who are gaining more and more exposure on an international level. There remain strong connections with Berlin, Amsterdam and Rotterdam and these cities as well as others, have seen freelance curators such as Erden Kosova, Esra Sarigedik, Pelin Tan and Basak Senova all continuing to expand their activities abroad. In the last year the established artist base have reached new heights; to name but a few achievements among so many others: Kutlug Ataman nominated for the Turner Prize, Haluk Akakce and Ergin Cavosoglu for Becks Futures, Huseyin Alptekin and Cengiz Cekil showing at the recent Manifesta, Fikret Atay to show at Tate Modern and Oda Projesi travelling and exhibiting extensively. While Turkey still struggles to provide collectors for the many excellent artists producing solid work, there is interest abroad both in the private and public collections. This interest also extends to the documentation of such activity and several publications, notably ArtIst magazine and a recently commissioned book on Turkey’s contemporary art scene written by Vasif Kortun and Erden Kosova, provide an intellectual structure of support for their contemporaries.

This international interest is yet again reflected by the many art professionals and artists passing through Turkey for research, projects and sabbaticals. Turkey is currently viewed as one of the hot spots for new talent and anticipated change. This proves a difficult, alternating position, that is positive in terms of increasing exchange and production, but problematic when the artists and scene are extracted, popularised and replanted as a national collective in another context. On the other hand the exchange to here, mainly implemented by Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center’s international conference program, this year saw The Last Documenta Should Be Curated By An Artist book launch and discussion with guests including Martha Rosler, Tino Sehgal and Daniel Buren hosted in Istanbul. Also at Platform is the Istanbul Residency Program, which is providing a completely new situation, one where invited artists, their friends, relatives and collaborators all turn up expectantly enthusiastic and in consequence enliven the scene. Combined, these guests, who may stay for a few days or for up to six months, have introduced something fresh and alternative, while also revealing the sharp edge of competition, something that did not exist as predominantly before. As a result of such a dominant presence another negotiation is presented, a trait of Istanbul is its imbalance between excess and normality, and currently foreign participation resulting from the rise in visitors and guests is more apparent than the local.

Finally, there is the Biennial and its international emphasis, the one institution that has maintained its support of contemporary art over the last eight exhibitions. Poetic Justice, last years’ offer by Dan Cameron, did little to enliven the local art scene, concentrating more on the import of work, a list of safe names and an installation that at best was dull. Preparations are already underway for the next installment and for the first time the Biennial will be co-curated, the appointed directors being Charles Esche, who recently took up the Directorial post at the Van Abbe Museum in Eindhoven and Vasif Kortun, Director of Platform Garanti in Istanbul. Their concerns focus on the project's structure and local context, Vasif coming from Turkey and Charles having strong connections with the scene here for a number of years. The title will initially be Istanbul, referring to both the real urban location and the imaginative charge that the city represents for the rest of Turkey and the world. Working with a newsite and escaping the old historic monuments of the city, Istanbul will be considered as a metaphor, as a prediction, as a lived reality and an inspiration.