As Saatolog editors, we have compiled the city’s art events as Istanbul prepares for the new season, with theaters raising their curtains, exhibitions accompanying the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Republic, and various art activities getting ready to take place in the city’s streets.
Theatre
DasDas
The play “La Reprise. Histoire Du Théâtre”, which was selected as “Production of the Year” by The New York Times, will be performed at DasDas on September 9th and 10th. The play features Adil Laboudi, Suzy Cocco, Sara De Bosschere, Sébastien Foucault, Fabian Leenders, and Sabri Saad El-Hamus and tells the tragic story of a group of young people in Liege in 2012. Additionally, as part of the IO International Theatre Festival, “Epic of Gilgamesh” will also be presented to the audience at DasDas on the evenings of September 15th and 16th.
Zorlu PSM
Towards the end of the previous season, “Saatleri Ayarlama Enstitüsü” (The Time Regulation Institute), directed by Serdar Biliş and featuring Serkan Keskin portraying all the characters from the cult novel, will be on stage at Zorlu PSM Turkcell Stage on September 17th and 18th.
Moda Sahnesi
One of the first plays of the new season in Moda Sahnesi is “İki Kore’nin Birleşmesi” (The Reunification of Two Koreas), authored by Joël Pommerat, a significant representative of contemporary French theater. “İki Kore’nin Birleşmesi” explores stories about relationships and offers a unique viewing experience by allowing the audience to watch it from two separate stands facing each other, bringing the performance to the center of the stage.
Exhibitions
Cumhuriyetin İlk Yılı: 29 Ekim 1923 – 29 Ekim 1924 (The First Year of the Republic: October 29, 1923 – October 29, 1924)
Held at Yapı Kredi Kültür Sanat and opened on June 16th, the exhibition has been extended until September 8th. This exhibition, focusing on the first year of the Republic, brings together photographs, publications, artworks, and publications from that period. It also showcases the socio-cultural world of Istanbul during that time.
“Başka Kayda Rastlanmadı: Reşad Ekrem Koçu ve İstanbul Ansiklopedisi Arşivi”, Salt Galata
The exhibition “Başka Kayda Rastlanmadı: Reşad Ekrem Koçu ve İstanbul Ansiklopedisi Arşivi” at Salt Galata can be visited until October 29th. It’s an archival work shedding light on the unpublished sections of the Istanbul Encyclopedia by historian and novelist Reşad Ekrem Koçu. The exhibition brings the urban image and residents of Galata and its surroundings from the 19th century to the mid-20th century to the floors of Salt Galata.
“Isabel Muñoz: Yeni Bir Hikâye”, Pera Müzesi
Isabel Muñoz’s photographs documenting Göbeklitepe, considered the world’s oldest cult site, and its surroundings, showcasing the unknown, mystery, and hallucinatory images that oscillate between the sacred and art, meet the audience with “Isabel Muñoz: Yeni Bir Hikaye”. The exhibition will continue at Pera Museum until September 17th, inviting visitors to explore the areas where different cultures intersect on different borders.
“Bugün de Yaşıyorum”, Arter
Cengiz Çekil’s retrospective exhibition, titled “Bugün de Yaşıyorum” , is the most comprehensive exhibition of the artist to date. Spanning from the early 1970s to the year of his passing in 2015, “Bugün de Yaşıyorum” sheds light on Çekil’s artistic journey with various works, including painting, photography, and installations. The exhibition will be at Arter until September 24th.
Concerts
33. Akbank Jazz Festival
One of Turkey’s oldest jazz festivals, the Akbank Caz Festival, will take place this year from September 23rd to October 8th. The festival will feature artists such as Al Di Meola, Sub-Rehavi, Neşet Ruacan, Cem Tuncer, and Yarkın Tuncer, among others.
Tamino Concert
Tamino, who has embarked on a major tour as part of the IKSV’s Gezgin Salon, will perform in Turkey after stops in Ankara and Izmir. On September 17th, he will take the stage at Parkorman in Istanbul. Tamino, the grandson of Egypt’s most famous singer and film stars, Muharrem Fouad, will introduce his new album “Sahar” to music enthusiasts in Istanbul.
Soen Concert
The Swedish progressive metal band Soen will perform on September 3rd at Zorlu PSM Turkcell Sahnesi as part of their “Atlantis Live” European tour. During the tour, the band will be accompanied by string instruments and backing vocals.
