Within the context of Contemporary Istanbul 2018, the diyalog association partnering with arthereistanbul will take part in the Mahalla Festival 2018 and present five artists from the arthereistanbul program at the Istanbul Art Fair for the second year running to highlight the importance of “Diyalog” (dialogue) between artists and cultural influencers.

Five artists from Turkey, Syria and elsewhere will participate. We aim to support the artists from arthereistanbul and to showcase their new artworks stemming from their experience participating in this global “Diyalog” and building bridges with others.

This presentation at Contemporary Istanbul will be the upbeat of the Mahalla Festival 2018 taking palce mainly in Valletta, Malta, November 19 until November 25 with exhibitions, readings, performances, screenings and talks.

arthereistanbul is a non-for-profit organization aiming to provide a space for Syrian immigrant artists present in Turkey along with artists from Turkey and beyond. They foster exchanges and provide the necessary support, means and facilities for artists to continue their work while encouraging their involvement in cultural discussions and debates.

Visit us at Contemporary Istanbul September 19 and 23 at booth number B2 108.

Preview Day, September 19 by inviation only

General Admission, September 20-23

for more information

Participating Artists from arthereistanbul:

Omar Berakdar is a fine art photographer from Damascus, he moved to Istanbul at the end of 2012 and one year later he co – founded Hamisch, a Syrian Cultural House in Istanbul. Following this, Berakdar, continuing to focus on art and culture, founded Arthere Art Center. in Kadikoy and later was joined by Gulsun Oyku Dogan and Ali Omar.

Berkay Buğdanoğlu is born 1986 Istanbul. He studied Illustration at Maryland Institute College of Art* (David Jacobs and C.V.Starr Scholarships).  Migrated towards ‘general fine art’ after about a decade of animation and design.  Currently set up in Istanbul. 

Gülsün Öykü Dogan is borned in Izmir, grew up and lived in Ankara. She studied economy and finally decided to focus on art. Her illustrations mainly express feelings of her own narrative as a woman living in Turkey.

Ali Omar is a painter and graduate from The Fine Arts Faculty of the University of Damascus. His main focus at the time is painting and mostly portraiture. He had to flee Syria to Erbil (Kurdistan) in 2012 to avoid being conscripted in the Syrian army. Omar then went back to his village in Syria where he then found himself outside the control of the Syrian regime. After a period of time he had to flee again, to Istanbul this time, at the end of 2014.

and Aladdin al Hassoun