Two New Publications Accompany Temporary Exhibitions at Pera Museum

Two New Publications Accompany Temporary Exhibitions at Pera Museum

The publication accompanying "Much Is to Be Done" opens a window into the creative world of Samih Rifat, a prominent cultural figure known for his photographs, translations, documentaries, and writings. 

Framing his multidisciplinary output as an “artistic and intellectual act,” the book includes an extensive essay by Serhan Ada titled “Much is to be done, alas, time!”, setting the tone for the volume. Esra Özdoğan broadly analyses Rifat’s photographic work in her text “Samih Rifat: Before the Death of the Author”. Enis Batur examines Rifat’s poetry in “Bard of Overlooked Poems”, while Celal Üster reflects on his legacy as a translator in “In Pursuit of Lost Beauties”. The publication also features a collective interview titled “Talking About Samih Rifat”, with contributions from his close friends Orçun Türkay, Necmi Sönmez, Hüsrev İsfendiyaroğlu, and Nevzat Sayın. 

Meanwhile, the publication accompanying Dancing with the Moon offers a closer look at the lyrical, whimsical, and politically engaged world of Canadian-born, New York-based artist Marcel Dzama. 

Curator Alistair Hicks contributes a key essay titled “Bughouse Chess: Bughouse Truth”, which explores Dzama’s visual language and sources of inspiration. The book also includes an in-depth interview conducted by Ulya Soley in Dzama’s Brooklyn studio, enriched by photographs by Civan Özkanoğlu. Additionally, Ezgi Bakçay critically reads Dzama’s work in her text “I Dreamed I Woke Up”, drawing connections with art history and cultural theory. 

Together, these two publications do more than document the exhibitions—they offer readers and viewers a broader intellectual and cultural context through which to understand Samih Rifat and Marcel Dzama's distinctive artistic practices.

Extraordinary Minas: The Story of Inspiration and Innovation in Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics
Extraordinary Minas: The Story of Inspiration and Innovation in Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics
Pera Museum

Extraordinary Minas: The Story of Inspiration and Innovation in Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics

Drawn from the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics Collection, the exhibition “Extraordinary Minas” sheds light on the creativity of Minas Avramidis, one of Kütahya’s most distinctive ceramic masters. It also explores the region’s efforts to revive tile craftsmanship during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Suna’nın Kızları Held the Girls-Centered Design Conference
Suna’nın Kızları Held the Girls-Centered Design Conference

Suna’nın Kızları Held the Girls-Centered Design Conference

Suna’nın Kızları organized the second edition of the Girl-Centered Design Conference to support girls' empowerment as active agents in social life.

Experts from Johns Hopkins and Harvard Visit Istanbul to Evaluate Children Diagnosed with AT
Experts from Johns Hopkins and Harvard Visit Istanbul to Evaluate Children Diagnosed with AT
NDAL

Experts from Johns Hopkins and Harvard Visit Istanbul to Evaluate Children Diagnosed with AT

Specialists from Johns Hopkins and Harvard Universities evaluated children diagnosed with Ataxia-Telangiectasia (AT), a rare genetic disorder, at healthcare institutions in Istanbul. This significant meeting marked a step forward in the potential application of advanced treatment methods in Turkey.