Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Pera Museum hosts two exhibitions that highlight artistic diversity and intellectual depth. The first exhibition,
MARCEL DZAMA: Dancing with the Moon - With a little help from his Friend Raymond Pettibon, marks the acclaimed Canadian artist’s first solo exhibition in Turkey. Curated by Alistair Hicks, the exhibition presents Dzama’s multidisciplinary works, including drawing, film, and sculpture. Through themes of “war, environmental destruction, and political mismanagement”, Dzama merges surrealist narratives with satirical and historical references, inviting viewers to reflect on global issues. His collaborations with notable artists such as Raymond Pettibon, Spike Jonze, and Beck further showcase his dynamic approach to contemporary art.
Samih Rifat: A Multidisciplinary Visionary
Running parallel to Dzama’s exhibition, SAMİH RİFAT: "Much Is to Be Done" - photographs, films, drawings, poems, notebooks, books, and music… pays tribute to the life and creative legacy of one of Turkey’s most distinguished intellectuals. Rifat, a poet, translator, photographer, and cultural visionary, is celebrated through a comprehensive retrospective that includes his personal notebooks, literary works, photography, films, and music. The exhibition, advised by curatorial consultant Serhan Ada and photography consultants Esra Özdoğan and Ahmet Elhan, offers an unprecedented look into Rifat’s interdisciplinary artistic journey.
Rifat’s deep engagement with literature, translation, and photography is reflected in his translated works, personal notes, and collaborations with his father, poet Oktay Rifat. His meticulous approach to language is evident in Night Writing, a literary project co-translated with his father. Additionally, the exhibition highlights his passion for music, with notebooks and recordings providing insight into his creative process.
One of the most intriguing elements of Rifat’s exhibition is his photography, which captures the relationship between urban life, nature, and cultural heritage. His belief that photography shares a closer bond with poetry than painting is evident in his poetic visual language. Visitors will also find his personal writings on photography, demonstrating his unique perspective on the medium.
A Dual Perspective on Artistic and Intellectual Expression
Pera Museum bridges contemporary visual storytelling with cultural and literary heritage by showcasing these two exceptional exhibitions. Marcel Dzama’s satirical and politically charged art contrasts with Samih Rifat’s introspective and interdisciplinary approach, offering a rich dialogue between different artistic realms.
Pera Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM and on Sundays from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. On “Long Fridays,” all visitors can enjoy the museum for free between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM, while “Young Wednesdays” offers free admission for students every Wednesday.
As part of the Chamber Talks programme by the Istanbul Research Institute, the talk titled The Cultivated Eye: From Arif Hikmet’s Lens to Architectural Practice brought together M. Baha Tanman and Müjde Dila Gümüş to examine Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu’s photography archive and architectural work, offering new perspectives on the exhibition The Photography Studio of an Adventurous Architect.
Pera Museum is hosting guided tours for Feelings in Common, led by curator Ulya Soley. The Guided Exhibition Tour with Curator will take place at Pera Museum on December 24, 2025 at 18:00 and December 27, 2025 at 15:00. The tour will be conducted in Turkish. Capacity is limited; tickets are available via Biletix or at the Pera Museum reception desk on the day of the event.
At the 9th Major Community Gathering, the Suna’nın Kızları communities came together to review the past year’s outcomes and align on project plans for 2026. Participants explored new ideas and collaboration opportunities on how the model and programs co-developed with 33 civil society organizations over the past four years can further support and reinforce one another.