YOURE IN FOR A MIND-BLOWING RIDE!
Exhibition of Ali Kazma's 'Landscapes of the Mind' unfolds at Istanbul Modern museum
Step into the imaginative world of Ali Kazma's solo exhibition, "Aklın Manzaraları" (Landscapes of the Mind), exhibited at Istanbul Modern, starting June 13, 2025, and continuing until February 1, 2026.
This visual journey invites you to explore the artist's deep dive into books, writing, archives, and the intellectual lands of thought.
With works spanning over a decade, this exhibit brings together Kazma's video and photographic projects from the 2010s. Kazma, a renowned artist known for his labors-themed work, has shown his solo art at esteemed institutions such as the Nouveau Musee National de Monaco, Albergo Diurno Venezia in Milan, MUNTREF in Buenos Aires, Arter in Istanbul, and the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington D.C.
get a glimpse of personal archives, book restoration workshops, and more, as Kazma crafts a nuanced and intricate portrait of the material and intellectual landscapes surrounding literature.
don't miss out on some of the highlights, including "Mürekkep Evi" (A House of Ink - 2022) and "Sentimental" (2022), focusing on Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk's private archive and creative space, making their debut in Türkiye.
The captivating "Alberto in Lisbon" (2024) also takes center stage, chronicling the relocation of Argentine writer and literary historian Alberto Manguel's renowned library from France to Portugal, turning a personal collection into a dramatic narrative of memory.
According to the artist, his artistic pursuit has been about visually representing the hidden workings of the human mind, particularly that of writers and poets. "I've been seeking a way to lead toward the writer's mind through the physical realm of books," Kazma explained at the exhibition preview. "Over the past 15 years, I've snapped countless photographs, filmed videos, and explored spaces where books are made, repaired, sold, read, forgotten, and stored."
Curator Demet Yıldız Dinçer highlights the unique approach to creative labor in this exhibition. Over the past 20 years, the Istanbul Modern has displayed masters of photography and emerging voices in contemporary visual culture. Dinçer notes, "Kazma, in this show, re-examines familiar concepts like labor, mastery, and production through intellectual creation, shifting from the abstract idea of memory and writing to the physicality of ink."
Don't forget to catch Kazma's celebrated works "Hat" (Calligraphy) and "Dövme" (Tattoo), both displayed at the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013. This exhibition also showcases footage of hard-to-access libraries, printing houses, binders, restorers, and booksellers, along with an extensive photographic archive featuring the infrastructures of literary production.
So, buckle up and prepare to dive into the fascinating world of literature, memory, and intellectual creation as you join Ali Kazma on a journey through the landscapes of the mind.
Delve into the intricate world of literature as you explore Ali Kazma's exhibit, "Aklın Manzaraları" (Landscapes of the Mind), opening on June 13, 2025, at Istanbul Modern. Among the artist's works spanning a decade, you'll find entertainment not only in visually stunning pieces but also in the upClose examination of books, writing, and personal archives.
