The Pera Museum launched Frank Bowling: Creation and Destruction on September 29, a major exhibition featuring the works of the 92-year-old artist. Curated by Alistair Hicks, the display will remain open through January 31, 2027.1

This season also sees significant activity outside of Istanbul. The Mustafa Ayaz Museum in Balgat, Ankara, opened Encounter: Adnan Turani – Mustafa Ayaz on September 19, which is on view until November 15.2 Meanwhile, the İş Bankası Painting and Sculpture Museum on Istiklal Street concludes its month of free entry tomorrow.

Highlights of this guide:
  • The curator utilizes three specific British paintings to act as narrative anchors within the Bowling retrospective.
  • The exhibition in Ankara opened exactly two days after the second anniversary of the museum founder’s passing.
  • The seven-story museum in Balgat originated from a humble cellar workshop in a gecekondu.
  • September 30 is the final day for free admission to the 1914 Generation exhibition on Istiklal.

What defines the Frank Bowling exhibition at Pera Museum?

Frank Bowling’s career has spanned over six decades between London and New York, and the Pera Museum exhibition marks his first presentation in Istanbul. The selection includes works from his 1967–1971 Map series, contrasted with his 2024 work Revisiting My Mother’s House, which returns to the imagery of his childhood in Guyana.1

The curation includes three specific “interventions” by other British painters: Francis Bacon’s Portrait of Lisa (1956) and Study for a Nude (1952–53), along with Victor Willing’s Head VI (1985). Hicks describes these works as compass points meant to help viewers navigate Bowling’s artistic trajectory. The exhibition was organized in collaboration with the British Consulate-General in Istanbul.1

The museum is also hosting Behind the Camera of the Republic, a collection of early republican-era press photography, running until March 28, 2027.3 The museum’s permanent galleries, including the Osman Hamdi Bey section and Intersecting Worlds: Ambassadors and Painters, remain open. General admission is 300 TL, with reduced tickets at 150 TL.4

What should visitors know about the 1914 Generation exhibition?

The 1914 Generation: Painters We Know exhibition at the İş Bankası Painting and Sculpture Museum opened on September 26 and is scheduled to run until July 12, 2027. Curated by Prof. Dr. Gül İrepoğlu, the selection features approximately 200 works from the İş Bankası and Arkas collections.5

September 30 marks the final day of the museum's complimentary admission program.6 The exhibition highlights nine painters, including Sami Yetik and Hüseyin Avni Lifij, whose works have entered the public domain in Turkey due to the 70-year post-mortem copyright expiration.7

Lifij’s 1924 work Black Day depicts a scene of devastation featuring a woman lying on a rug amidst ruins, beneath the gaze of a black eagle. This painting is often contrasted with his 1924 work White Day (Ak Gün).9

What is the history of the Mustafa Ayaz Museum?

The Encounter exhibition, curated by Nilay Ayaz and Siret Uyanık, places the works of theorist and painter Adnan Turani alongside the figurative narratives of Mustafa Ayaz.2 Mustafa Ayaz, who passed away on September 17, 2024, personally funded the construction of the seven-story Balgat facility, which opened in 2007.10

The museum’s collection reflects decades of work that began in the basement of a self-built home in Şentepe in 1974. Visitors can view the permanent collection of Ayaz’s work, ranging from village-themed pieces in the 1970s to the vibrant, dense compositions of his later years.11 The museum is closed on Mondays, with regular hours from 10:00 to 17:30.12

What other exhibitions are currently active in Istanbul?

The Istanbul Modern exhibition Semiha Berksoy: Aria of All Colors remains on view through November 22, 2026, featuring over 200 works by the opera singer and artist.13 Additionally, the Panorama: Dreams and Places exhibition in the same building closes on October 18.14

Notes and Sources

  1. Pera Museum, “Frank Bowling: Creation and Destruction,” 2026; Euronews, 2026.
  2. Cumhuriyet, 2026; Kadın Tarzı, 2026.
  3. Pera Museum, 2026.
  4. Pera Museum, Visitor Services, 2026.
  5. Habertürk, 2026; CNN Türk / AA, 2026.
  6. Aksiyon, 2026.
  7. Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works No. 5846, Article 27.
  8. Wikimedia Commons, Sami Yetik, 2023.
  9. Wikimedia Commons, Hüseyin Avni Lifij, 2012.
  10. Anadolu Agency, 2024.
  11. Turkish Museums, 2026; Mustafa Ayaz Museum, 2026.
  12. Mustafa Ayaz Museum, Visit, 2026.
  13. Istanbul Modern, 2026.
  14. Istanbul Modern, 2026.