Hot Spot Istanbul at Haus Konstrukiv in Zurich
Related Article: Turkey at Basel Art Week
From 6 June until 22 September 2013 Museum Haus Konstruktiv in Zurich hosts the first comprehensive exhibition of Turkish abstract, concrete, conceptual and contemporary art in Switzerland titled Hot Spot Istanbul, showing works from over sixty years by more than 80 works of 21 artists. The show was curated by Dorothea Strauss in collaboration with Tankut Aykut from Istanbul based gallery Dirimart.
The project's starting point is the development of Turkish abstract concrete painting since the end of the 1940s and the impact that it has had on a young generation of artists who are active all around the world.
Can Altay was invited to design the entrance hall and created a walk-through sculpture titled “It’s not Istanbul, it’s you.” A special place of reflection, research and encounters emerges. It is a mental echo chamber, which accompanies all other sections.


There are two solo exhibitions by Ebru Uygun (*1974) and Ekrem Yalçındağ (*1964) on the second floor and in the smaller hall on the fourth floor. The large hall on the fourth floor, focuses on conceptual art, with artists such as Serhat Kiraz (*1954), Renée Levi (*1960), Ahmet Öktem (*1951), Sarkis (*1938), Nejat Satı (1982), Arslan Sükan (*1973) and Erdem Taşdelen (*1985). The fifth floor shows four historically significant artists: Nejad Melih Devrim (1923-1995), Mübin Orhon (1924-1981), Ömer Uluç (1931-2010) and Fahrelnissa Zeid (1901-1991), all pioneers of post-1945 Turkish art.


Together with Hot Spot Istanbul, works by the “Zurich Concretists” from the in-house collection such as Max Bill (1908-1994), Fritz Glarner (1899-1972), Camille Graeser (1892-1980), Hans Hinterreiter (1902-1989), Verena Loewensberg (1912-1986) and Richard Paul Lohse (1902-1988) are on display.
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