For our 579th Art Gathering, we are visiting the historic Piri Paşa Hamam (Turkish bath).
The historic Piri Paşa Hamam is located in the Hasköy neighborhood of Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district. Sources offer varying accounts regarding its construction; one suggests it was built in 1533, while another indicates it was commissioned by Piri Mehmet Paşa in the 15th century, later falling into ruin before being reconstructed. Consequently, the structure is generally categorized as a 16th-century Ottoman bath. Also known as "Hamam-ı Cedid" (the New Bath), it follows the architectural typology of a "single bath" (tek hamam). After remaining abandoned for many years, the historic Piri Paşa Hamam was restored by DEMSA Holding and now serves as an art gallery under the name "Dem Art Gallery." The gallery opened its doors with an inaugural exhibition titled "The Silence Within Me" ("İçimdeki Sessizlik"), curated by Erkan Doğanay. Bringing together 38 artists from various generations and disciplines, the exhibition introduces the polyphonic nature of contemporary art into a historic setting. By uniting the works of artists from different generations, the exhibition highlights the pluralistic structure of contemporary art through diverse aesthetic approaches and modes of expression. The concept of "silence" in the exhibition’s title also resonates with the history of the bath, which remained shrouded in silence for many years. The dialogue between the silence of the structure and the polyphonic collective presence of the artists creates a space for interpreting how individual narratives can generate distinct meanings within a shared environment. The exhibition “The Silence Within” (“İçimdeki Sessizlik”) features works by Ahmet Yeşil, Alp Tamer Ulukılıç, Altan Çelem, Bahar Kocaman, BUBİ, Burçin Erdi, Cansu Kahraman, Devabil Kara, Ertuğrul Ateş, Eylem Pala, Göksu Gül, Gülnur Özdağlar, Hakan Esmer, Hakan Yılmaz, Hamza Kırbaş, Hüseyin Işık, İlke Kutlay, Kuzgun Acar, Mahmut Celayir, Mehmet Güler, Metin Çelik, Monika Bulanda, Mustafa Horasan, Safa Şahin, Selin Çelikdelen, Semih Kaplan, Selçuk Yılmaz, Selma Gürbüz, Sema Maşkılı, Seyhun Topuz, Suat Akdemir, Taner Yılmaz, Temur Köran, Okan Ünal, Ozan Oganer, Yılmaz Bulut, Yusuf Ağım, and Yaren Çakırlar. Bringing together diverse artistic approaches, this selection unites the artists’ unique creative practices while fostering a visual and conceptual dialogue across generations. Rather than adhering to the confines of a singular, shared aesthetic, the exhibition focuses on the coexistence of distinct artistic languages. A particularly striking aspect of the exhibition is the historical identity of its venue: a former Ottoman-era bathhouse (hamam) transformed into a contemporary art gallery, a transition that gives rise to new relationships between the artworks and their architectural setting. While the history of the Piri Paşa Hamam informs the spatial experience of the exhibition, the building’s new function serves as an example of how cultural heritage can engage with contemporary life. We will explore the exhibition accompanied by art historian Havva Kurt. Wednesday, November 4
12:00–13:00