Frieze's Selvi May Akyildiz on Istanbul's Delights

The 18th edition of Turkey’s leading art fair, Contemporary Istanbul (28 September–1 October 2023), returns to the Tersane Istanbul, a former Ottoman imperial shipyard this week.

Ahead of the fair, Ocula Advisory sits down with Selvi May Akyildiz, Director of Frieze’s No.9 Cork Street exhibition space in London.

Born to a Turkish father, Selvi set up base in Istanbul working at galleries—Rodeo and Galeri Mana—for a number of years. Now back in London, Selvi frequently finds herself heading back to visit friends and family, while also checking in on the latest shows and museums opening up throughout the city.

Back for the fair, Selvi spills all on Istanbul’s art scene and where to head in an amazing city—crowned European Capital of Culture in 2010—once exhausted by the galleries.

For those in Istanbul for the fair, what shows would you suggest going to see?

I highly recommend visiting the exhibition Healing Ruins (30 September–11 November 2023) at the newly restored Zeyrek Çinili Hamam.

The exhibition curated by Anlam Arslanoglu de Coster features artworks from 22 artists, many of which were specially commissioned for the reopening of the Ottoman hammam.

Highlights include Zoë Paul’s ceramic beaded curtains, Lara Ögel’s sculptural work installed in one of the hammam’s fountains, Daniel Silver‘s statuesque figures and Elif Uras’ marble sculptures conceived in homage to Lady Mary Wortley Montagu whose ‘Turkish Embassy Letters’ provided the first ever written account of the women’s section of a Turkish bath in the 18th century.

I’m also excited to see more of Daniel Silver’s recent work back on home turf in London next month, where he will be exhibiting more work with Frith Street gallery at Frieze London in Regents Park.

The Istanbul Modern reopened at the beginning of summer after a five-year refurb. Did you get a chance to see the show?

I really enjoyed visiting the new Istanbul Modern and being reunited with many of the Turkish artworks from their collection in the exhibition Floating Islands (4 May–31 December 2023).

I adore the work of Nuri Iyem and especially his portraits of Anatolian women.

I was excited to see Murat Akagunduz’s stunning painting of a mountain scene in Eastern Turkey hanging in this major survey exhibition and to rewatch Kutluğ Ataman’s ‘Women Who Wear Wigs’, a 4-channel film which shows four different women who all use wigs to hide and transform their repressed identities in Turkey in the 1990s.

What do you like to scout out when in the city?

Istanbul is a city filled with hidden gems. There is a longstanding tradition of collecting ceramics here, from the impressive displays of Chinese and Japanese porcelain at Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, to the 2021 retrospective of Candeger Furtun at Arter. There are always great pieces to be found!

What’s the art scene like for artists living in the city?

Something that has always struck me about Istanbul is how the community sticks together. It’s not an easy city to live and make work in but artists socialise together, and the exhibition openings are well attended and full of friendly faces. Quite often you will see artists and curators talking at local teahouses in the Cihangir neighbourhood.

Lastly, where should people eat?

Karaköy Lokantası is a must! The food is so fresh, and the staff are wonderful. Another good spot is Ficcin which serves local Turkish dishes and Ossetian delights. Both Karakoy and Ficcin have vegan options.

Main image: Exhibition view: Daniel Silver sculptures. Photo: Hadiye Cangökçe.