10 Sep 2009

New Works & New Space - Proje4L Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art, Istanbul

Elgiz Collection NOW NEW: New Works New Space
Opening: September 12, 2009 Time: 19.00

The official opening of Proje4L/Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art will take place on September 12th at 7:00pm with the exhibition ''Elgiz Collection NOW NEW: New Works New Space.' The show pairs recent acquisitions with highlights from the collection's history.

On this special occasion, the International Art Critics Association (AICA) Turkey, will present the 'Critically Critic Work Award', given for the first time, to the most critical art work of the 11th Istanbul Biennial.

A seperate section of the gallery will feature the work of eleven young artists from the collection; while in the Project Rooms, guest artists Berke Soyuer and Mustafa Kula will show their site-specific installations. In the Open Archive Room, visitors will have access to files and catalogues from a range of Turkish artists.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM

Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art is a private collection museum, founded by Sevda and Can Elgiz in 2001. Formerly, under the name of 'Proje4L-Istanbul Museum of Contemporary Art', the space provided three years of exposure for the works of established and emerging artists, in order to encourage developments throughout the Turkish contemporary art scene. In January 2005 the Museum changed its name and format in order to accommodate works from 'The Elgiz Collection'. The Museum moved to its new premises in Maslak, enliving Istanbul's financial district, in 2009. The 2000 m2 exhibition space was specially designed by Can Elgiz, the prominent Turkish architect, to house the family collection. The venue also includes two project rooms, one conference room, an open archive room and a video room.

The dual objective of the 'Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art' is to facilitate the globalization of contemporary Turkish art, whilst familiarizing the viewing Turkish public with a wealth of important international art. By combining high quality work executed by established and emerging artists of Turkish origin with that of well regarded international artists, the Museum ensures the effective promotion of Turkish contemporary culture. 'Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art' organizes lectures and seminars in its conference space by inviting international collectors to share their enthusiasm and their experiences in collecting art.

ABOUT THE COLLECTION

The Elgiz Collection has been being constituted since 1980's. Consisting of works by influential Turkish and international artists, the collection represents a wide range of progressive art in different media. The eclectic identity of the collection allows the viewer to enjoy a comprehensive journey through the major contemporary art movements of the last two decades.