Vasif Kortun
Encyclopedia
Vasif Kortun is a Turkish
curator
, writer and teacher in the field of contemporary visual art, its institutions and exhibition practices.
He is director of research and programs, SALT
http://www.saltonline.org, Istanbul
, an institution that hosts almost 3000 square metre of program space, a library of over 35,000 publications and some of the most important archives on Turkish contemporary and modern art, architecture and economy in the country. Kortun holds a position on the recently re-elected CIMAM http://www.cimam.org/ board for 2010 – 13; and is part of the board for Foundation for Arts Initiatives http://www.ffaiarts.net/ (2009-), as well as the 2011 Tate
Turner Prize
selection committee. In 2011 he is curating the UAE Pavilion http://www.uaepavilion.org for the Venice Biennale
.
Kortun was founding director of Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center
, Istanbul
, which he initiated in 2001. He was also founding Director of Project 4L, Istanbul Museum of Contemporary Art (2001–2003). Between 1994 and 1997 he worked as the founding Director of the Museum of the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College
and received the 9th annual award for Curatorial Excellence from the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College in 2006.
Among other biennial projects Kortun was co-curator of the Taipei Biennial http://www.taipeibiennial.org/2008/TBCurator/CuratorsContent.aspx?CuratorIID=iWtQXTY5yerWZqo3gg8/BL9NEiKjGqNL&Language=iWtQXTY5yepbYP0ReEQvvxIHCRdaRaeW along with ManRay Hsu in 2008; Chief Curator and Director of the 3rd International Istanbul Biennial
(1992) and Co-Director with Charles Esche
of the 9th International Istanbul Biennial(2005); one of the curators of the Tirana Biennial, and 2nd Ceramics Biennial in Albisola, 2003. He curated the Turkish pavilions for the 1994 and 1998 São Paulo Biennial
, and the 2007 Venice Bienniale for which he worked with artist Hüseyin Bahri Alptekin
on an installation titled Don’t Complain.
Kortun has undertaken numerous independent curatorial projects including most recently an exhibition of works by Cengiz Çekil http://www.rampaistanbul.com/artists/cengiz-cekil/ at Rampa http://www.rampaistanbul.com/ in Istanbul (2010) and The Columns Held us Up at Artists Space New York http://www.artistsspace.org/ (2009). He has written extensively on contemporary art and the cultural situation in Turkey for publications and periodicals internationally and in 2004 co-authored the book Jahresring 51: Szene Turkei: Abseits aber Tor on the Turkish
art scene with Erden Kosova.
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
, writer and teacher in the field of contemporary visual art, its institutions and exhibition practices.
He is director of research and programs, SALT
SALT (institution)
SALT is a not-for-profit institution located in Istanbul, Turkey. Opened in April 2011, SALT hosts exhibitions, conferences and public programs; engages in interdisciplinary research projects; and sustains SALT Research, a library and archive of recent art, architecture, design, urbanism, and...
http://www.saltonline.org, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, an institution that hosts almost 3000 square metre of program space, a library of over 35,000 publications and some of the most important archives on Turkish contemporary and modern art, architecture and economy in the country. Kortun holds a position on the recently re-elected CIMAM http://www.cimam.org/ board for 2010 – 13; and is part of the board for Foundation for Arts Initiatives http://www.ffaiarts.net/ (2009-), as well as the 2011 Tate
Tate
-Places:*Tate, Georgia, a town in the United States*Tate County, Mississippi, a county in the United States*Táté, the Hungarian name for Totoi village, Sântimbru Commune, Alba County, Romania*Tate, Filipino word for States...
Turner Prize
Turner Prize
The Turner Prize, named after the painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist under the age of 50. Awarding the prize is organised by the Tate gallery and staged at Tate Britain. Since its beginnings in 1984 it has become the United Kingdom's most publicised...
selection committee. In 2011 he is curating the UAE Pavilion http://www.uaepavilion.org for the Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
.
Kortun was founding director of Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center
Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center
The contemporary art institution Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center opened in 2001 and was located on the pedestrian Istiklal Avenue in Istanbul, Turkey...
, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, which he initiated in 2001. He was also founding Director of Project 4L, Istanbul Museum of Contemporary Art (2001–2003). Between 1994 and 1997 he worked as the founding Director of the Museum of the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College
Bard College
Bard College, founded in 1860 as "St. Stephen's College", is a small four-year liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.-Location:...
and received the 9th annual award for Curatorial Excellence from the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College in 2006.
Among other biennial projects Kortun was co-curator of the Taipei Biennial http://www.taipeibiennial.org/2008/TBCurator/CuratorsContent.aspx?CuratorIID=iWtQXTY5yerWZqo3gg8/BL9NEiKjGqNL&Language=iWtQXTY5yepbYP0ReEQvvxIHCRdaRaeW along with ManRay Hsu in 2008; Chief Curator and Director of the 3rd International Istanbul Biennial
Istanbul Biennial
The International Istanbul Biennial is a contemporary art exhibition, held every two years in Istanbul, Turkey, since 1987. The biennial is organised by the İstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts. The Biennial aims to create a meeting point in İstanbul in the field of visual arts between artists...
(1992) and Co-Director with Charles Esche
Charles Esche
Charles Esche is a curator and writer. Since 2004, he has been Director of the Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, Netherlands. He is co-founder and co-editor of Afterall Journal and Afterall Books with Mark Lewis. Afterall is a contemporary art publication which was first launched in 1998 and is based at...
of the 9th International Istanbul Biennial(2005); one of the curators of the Tirana Biennial, and 2nd Ceramics Biennial in Albisola, 2003. He curated the Turkish pavilions for the 1994 and 1998 São Paulo Biennial
São Paulo Art Biennial
The São Paulo Art Biennial was founded in 1951 and has been held every two years since. It is the second oldest art biennial in the world after the Venice Biennial , which serves as its role model....
, and the 2007 Venice Bienniale for which he worked with artist Hüseyin Bahri Alptekin
Huseyin Bahri Alptekin
Hüseyin Bahri Alptekin was an artist, writer, educator and curator. He studied aesthetics and the philosophy of art and sociology in Istanbul and Paris-I Sorbonne. Alptekin worked as a press photographer and an art, media and design critic...
on an installation titled Don’t Complain.
Kortun has undertaken numerous independent curatorial projects including most recently an exhibition of works by Cengiz Çekil http://www.rampaistanbul.com/artists/cengiz-cekil/ at Rampa http://www.rampaistanbul.com/ in Istanbul (2010) and The Columns Held us Up at Artists Space New York http://www.artistsspace.org/ (2009). He has written extensively on contemporary art and the cultural situation in Turkey for publications and periodicals internationally and in 2004 co-authored the book Jahresring 51: Szene Turkei: Abseits aber Tor on the Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
art scene with Erden Kosova.