Contact

Name of the responsible structure: Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center
Type of structure : non for profit association
Profile of the initiators of the project : financial institution (Garanti Bank)
Continent : Europe
Country : Turkey
Address/tel/fax : Istiklal Str. No:276 Beyoglu / Istanbul
Tel: 90 212 293 23 61
Fax: 90 212 293 30 71
Mail : platform@garanti.com.tr
Website : http://www.platform.garanti.com.tr
Contact : Vasif Kortun

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Description

Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center was initiated in September 2001. Located in Beyoglu, the most vibrant part of Istanbul, Platform acts as a central meeting point in the city for cultural exchange between contemporary artists, curators and critics. The building contains an artist archive, research and lecture spaces, Istanbul Residency Program (open to international contemporary visual artists, critics and curators of contemporary art) and on street level a gallery committed to exhibiting contemporary art from Turkey and abroad.

Former use: It was one of the branch of Ottoman Bank
Total surface of the site: 1000 m2
Architect of the rehabilitation : Architecture Duygu Ozcan from Garanti Bank
Renovation costs of the building : USD 200,000
Location : City (Istanbul)
Foundation year of the centre : 2001
Type of occupation : free-lending contract
Owner of the building : Garanti Bank

Infrastructures / Facilities

The site made of research center contains gallery, an artist archive, research and lecture spaces and studios for Istanbul Residency Program.

The main building on 3 floors:

 Gallery Space: Platform Gallery is on street level and it exhibits contemporary art from Turkey and abroad. 25 exhibitions were realized in the space since 2001. Total surface is 250 m2.

 Research Center and Conference Room: The first floor contains reseach center including an artist archive, library and conference room. It is the most established reference point for contemporary art in Istanbul. A fully catalogued library of reference books, exhibition catalogues and artists’ monographies is open research archive. The artist archive focuses on contemporary artists from Turkey and includes more than 200 artist files. Artists from Turkey have been invited to international exhibitions and biennials as a result of researches at Platform artist archive by international art professionals, representatives of international art organizations and curators. Total surface is 250 m_.

 Istanbul Residency Program (IRP): IRP was initiated in January 2003 in the second floor of the building and it is open to contemporary visual artists, critics and curators of contemporary art. Each residency lasts for a period of between three and six months. Long term funding collaborations are FONDS BKVB, The Netherlands; TENT, The Netherlands; ACF, USA; OCA Office for Contemporary Art, Norway; IASPIS International Artists Studio Program in Sweden, Sweden; IAAB Basel, Switzerland; Basque Region, Spain; Flemish Government, Belgium, FRAME, Finland.
Total surface is 500 m2

Social and artistic disciplines

Please describe the social and/or artistic disciplines (ex : contemporary dance, circus, theatre, citizenship, movement, etc.) and the according activities that you develop in your centre (ex : debates, residencies, festivals, workshops, exhibitions, concerts, performances, etc.)
Contemporary exhibitions, performances, workshops, conferences, video screenings, co-organized and hosted international projects.

Financial support:

75% of the income comes from international funding bodies.