"Meşher", Affiliated with Vehbi Koç Foundation, Opens Its Doors in September

Meymenet Han, which hosted Arter between 2010 and 2019 on İstiklal Avenue, will continue its existence as "Meşher", a new arts and culture institution affiliated with the Vehbi Koç Foundation. Meşher, meaning exhibition space in Ottoman Turkish, has established itself among Turkey's leading arts institutions through its comprehensive programming and interdisciplinary approach, focusing on diverse subjects ranging from ceramics to avant-garde art, from photography history to design, spanning from the Middle Ages to the present day. Meşher's inaugural exhibition, titled "When Forms Wear Away: Contemporary Ceramics from Europe with Myths, Legends and Tales", featuring ceramic works inspired by stories told from past to present and tracing clay and earth's imprint throughout human history, will open on 13 September 2019. With 500 square meters of exhibition space spread across three floors and 75 square meters of activity space for events, Meşher's exhibitions will serve as a reference point through its diverse programming spanning from the Middle Ages to the present, its research-based academic approach and publications. Meşher, where visits, events and exhibition tours will be free of charge, will be open for visits six days a week, closed Mondays.

Examining Contemporary Ceramics Through the Lens of Myths, Legends and Tales

Meşher will open to visitors in September, a month when Istanbul will be immersed in art, with its inaugural exhibition "When Forms Wear Away", curated by Catherine Milner. This inaugural exhibition was prepared in collaboration between Messums Wiltshire, an inspiring and innovative arts centre in England, and Meşher. The exhibition, focused on myths, legends and tales, features works by 13 artists. Ömer M. Koç, Chairman of the Board of Koç Holding, who wrote the foreword for the exhibition catalogue, made the following statement: "Since the late 1990s when I began collecting Iznik, Kütahya and Çanakkale tiles and ceramics, due to the special interest I have developed in clay, I am particularly pleased that Meşher's inaugural exhibition 'When Forms Wear Away' constitutes a concise examination of contemporary ceramics with pioneering artists. Given the long history of clay and ceramics in Anatolia and Turkey, my personal hope and belief is that the fascinating works featured in this exhibition will serve as an inspiration for future generations of young artists and aspiring artists who will work with ceramics."

Meşher: An Inspiring Dialogue

Bahattin Öztuncay, who has been working on exhibitions and publication projects in the field of arts and culture within the Vehbi Koç Foundation for many years, is assuming the directorship of this new exhibition space on İstiklal Avenue. Öztuncay said, "Through collaborations with both national and international experts and institutions, and primarily through exhibitions we will curate and produce in-house, we aim to provide an inspiring dialogue platform in Turkey and abroad." Meşher, an institution of the Vehbi Koç Foundation, will be open to visitors from 13 September until 22 December 2019 for its opening exhibition. Simultaneous with the exhibition opening, English and Turkish publications bearing the same title will be presented to readers.