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Leading the week: Art Fatale
Lale Belkis in the 1971 movie Feride, in which she plays the foxy socialite trying to win back her boyfriend from a dewy village girl. (Lale Belki, Instagram)
If the walls of the Atifet Apartment block could talk, they’d tell stories of art, glamour and reinvention. Lale Belkis, Turkey’s first model and a cultural icon of the sixties and seventies, has once again transformed her home in Istanbul’s upscale Moda neighborhood into a gallery.
From noon to 5 p.m., through February, her “Living Exhibition: Dreams and Realities 2” highlights Turkish art greats like the ceramicist Fureya and the painters Bedri Rahmi Eyuboglu and Nazli Ecevit. Belkis’ own works, including whimsical self-portraits, are offered for sale.
At the start of her life in fashion, Belkis modeled a gold-trimmed robe for Farah Pahlavi, the last empress of Iran.
Also a singer, writer and prolific painter, Belkis is best known for her roles for Yesilcam, Turkey’s 20th-century version of Hollywood.
A strong-featured and long-legged Ursula Andress look-alike, Belkis was often typecast as the femme fatale — scheming, cruel, often the tormentor of doe-eyed heroines and orphaned children. Yet Belkis viewed her characters as women of strength and agency, challenging the era’s societal norms. If you’re lucky, you might meet this legendary tigress in her den.
Location: Atifet Sokak, Atıfet Apt. no. 18/9, Moda, Istanbul
Find more information here.
Word on the street: Top art exhibits of 2025
“I Love You – self-portrait,” by Taner Ceylan, the Berlin-based artist who founded the Olympos Exhibitions in 2019. (Photo: Ceylan Taner Studio Website)
Ece Ates, the Sarah Lawrence–educated program manager at Zilberman Berlin, is a rising name in the art scene in Istanbul as well as the German capital. Here is her pick of 2025’s most exciting art events.
- 18th Istanbul Biennial: Curated by Christine Tohme, the two-phase event kicks off its first leg in September 2025 with exhibitions and public programs. While there are many parallel events, expect a standout show at Abdulmecid Efendi Kosku, supported by Koc Holding.
- Young Artists’ Shows: Initiatives like Base, Mamut Art Project, and Zilberman’s Young Fresh Different spotlight emerging talents. Particularly intriguing is Olympos Exhibitions’ 2025 edition, “Still Life,” curated by Taner Ceylan Studios (see photo) and held in iconic Istanbul venues.
- Art Fairs Galore: Istanbul Contemporary reigns supreme, complemented by CI Bloom and Artweeks Istanbul, showcasing the city’s diverse and vibrant art market.
- Tarabya Cultural Academy: The residency program culminates in March with a solo show by the multimedia artist Itamar Gov at Zilberman, with support from the Allianz Foundation.
- Depo’s Sociopolitical Art: Depo’s exhibitions push boundaries, and Ates Alpar’s solo show, opening April 11 and curated by Melih Aydemir and Yildiz Ozturk, promises a thought-provoking exploration of resilience and memory.
Istanbul diary: Sea and sails
Initially created for the Finnish Pavilion at the 52nd Venice Biennale, Maria Wirkkala’s “Landing Prohibited” was reinterpreted for Arter (Photo: Orhan Cem Çetin, ARTER, 2024)
Set sail into Istanbul’s art world with exhibitions that explore the sea and its enduring symbolism:
- Maaria Wirkkala’s “Landing Prohibited,” at Arter, features a Venetian boat adrift in a dazzling sea of Murano glass, evoking migration and despair. Free to enter on Thursdays and ends Feb. 23.
- Cengiz Tekin’s “Waves Don’t Draw Maps,” at Zilberman Istanbul, examines water as a boundary breaker and a carrier of memory. At the art nouveau Misir Apartmani, through Feb. 22.
- Alekos Fassianos’ “Sailing to Byzantium,” named after Yeats’s poem, is at Zeyrek Cinili Hammam. Curated by Anlam de Coster, it combines mythology with the city’s layered history. Ends Feb. 22.
- For jazz lovers, Turkey’s best female vocalist, Sibel Kose, takes the stage at the iconic Nardis Jazz Club, in Galata, Feb. 1, 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Secure your spot via phone at +90 (212) 244 63 27 or email focan@nardisjazz.com.
Book of the week: “Evil Eyes Sea”
Ozge Samanci, author of the autobiographical “Dare to Disappoint,” returns with a feminist political mystery set in Istanbul’s turbulent 1990s. “Evil Eyes Sea” follows two broke university students whose scuba diving trip takes a dark turn when they witness a suspicious death.
“This story reflects my struggles as a young woman navigating Turkey’s male-dominated culture,” said Samanci. Her sharp, humorous storytelling weaves together themes of economic disparity, religious pressure and political corruption, making the book “a mix of Tintin-style adventure and sharp social commentary,” as a Guardian review put it.
Istanbul gaze
Alex Semenov’s illustration (Instagram: @lazy_square)
Illustrator Alex Semenov’s post, intended as a farewell to the city he lived in for the last three years, perfectly captures Istanbul’s chaos and charm. His viral Instagram sketch depicts the city’s narrow streets, greedy seagulls, unruly cabbies, motor couriers, soccer fans and stray animals.
By the numbers
Turkish TV series, whose sets are mainly in Istanbul, continued their meteoric rise in 2024:
- According to Anadolu, over 300 productions were exported to 200 countries, generating over $500 million in revenue.
- Nearly 1 billion viewers tuned in, with strong followings in Latin America and the Middle East.
- Netflix reports that 47 Turkish productions have appeared on its global top 10 lists since 2021.