CFAD Visit to “ISTANBUL MODERN” and IRCICA
As a part of the CFAD co-curricular activities and efforts to promote contemporary trends and directions in visual Arts and design to extend the students experience and enrich their repertoire the college has organized a field trip to Istanbul Modern and IRCICA.
Istanbul Modern is located on the Bosphorus in a converted warehouse in the Tophane neighborhood with spectacular views of Istanbul that was repurposed by Tabanlıoğlu Architects. Inaugurated on December 11, 2004, the museum prominently features the work of modern and contemporary art. İstanbul Modern features exhibition space on two floors: work from the museum’s permanent collection, as well as a shop and restaurant, are located on the top floor, while temporary exhibitions are located on the lower floor, along with a cinema and arts library.
CFAD students had the opportunity to review the museums’ permanent and temporary exhibition galleries as well as to attend the Artists’ Film International, an exhibition and program dedicated to contemporary video art by featuring moving images, animations, and films of visual artists all around the world.
IRCICA Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture is an international institution active in the fields of research, publishing, documentation and information. Its mandate covers multifarious themes in the fields of the history of Muslim nations, history of arts and sciences in Islam, and other subject areas in Islamic culture and civilization. By means of these activities, IRCICA aims at studying and better introducing the Islamic culture and civilization throughout the world and acting as a catalyst for research and cooperation in these areas to promote mutual understanding between Muslims and with other nations and cultures of the world.
In their visit to IRCICA CFAD students had the opportunity to be introduced to Islamic Arts and Architecture and to meet Dr. Halit Eren (General Director), Dr. Amir Pasic (head of Architectural Department), Mr. Abdullah Topaloglu and Mrs. Nurcan Toprak.
Islamic arts with respect to their categories and branches, characteristics, technical aspects, methods and materials, forms of expression and patterns of development, as well as studies on history of arts, architecture and history of architecture constitute one of the major fields of IRCICA’s mandate.
Activities in this area include the overall study of Islamic arts with respect to their categories and branches, characteristics, technical aspects, methods and materials, forms of expression and patterns of development, as well as studies on history of arts, architecture and history of architecture.
At the end of their trip CFAD students visited the most prominent monuments of both Byzantine and Ottoman art such as Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and other land marks.