‘The Shore of the Sun’ at Kalyon Kültür: Stories of Light from the Remote Regions of Anatolia

The sun sets in a distant corner of Anatolia. How the light falls, how the shadows lengthen, how the transition from a day to a night looks—it is hard to put into words, but possible to express in painting, photography, or sculpture. “Edge of the Sun” (Güneşin Kıyısı) brings together five different voices of this rendering practice at Kalyon Kültür. In Nişantaşı until the end of September.

Five Artists, One Theme: Light

Kalyon Kültür’s summer exhibition this year intersects a geography coming from within Turkey with an emotional map. Güliz Baydemir, Mustafa Albayrak, Mümin Candaş, Necati Seydi Ferahoğlu, and Nurdan Karasu Gökçe—five artists, five different practices.

The theme: “The continuity of life in distant geographies of Anatolia.” This is not merely a nature painting or landscape practice; it is how the spaces where history, memory, and daily life unfold establish a relationship with light. Light here carries both a physical and symbolic weight—as much as it shows the passage of the day, it also indicates the continuity of existence.

Interacting in a dialogue with these five voices simultaneously through 21 works in an exhibition running for three months: each work is a piece of geography, each piece of geography is a practice of light.

Kalyon Kültür: 17 Exhibitions, 100,000 Visitors

Kalyon Kültür is an institution that has organized 17 exhibitions and reached approximately 100,000 visitors since 2020. This number cannot be understated for a gallery scale: building a consistent audience in Istanbul’s strong private gallery scene requires serious commitment.

Curator Aslı Bora (Art Director of Kalyon Kültür) made a selection reflecting the institution’s programming approach: not imported “big names,” but a collective of practices nourished by their own geography. This distinction is important: the curatorial choice brings up concrete questions such as cultural commitment and regional perspective.

Nişantaşı Stone Mansion: The Contribution of the Space

The exhibition space, Nişantaşı Stone Mansion (Nişantaşı Taş Konak), is the founding point of Kalyon Kültür. The gallery area within a historical building bestows a unique atmosphere upon contemporary artworks.

The placement of works built on light and shadow inside a structure that is itself woven from dark stone is a meaningful overlap. The texture of the space itself speaks with what the works address as a theme.

A Closer Look at the Five Artists

• Güliz Baydemir: Known for her painting practice, the artist investigates the relationship between color and light at the intersections of indoor and outdoor spaces.

• Mustafa Albayrak: His observation-oriented practice fed by various Anatolian geographies.

• Mümin Candaş: His visual language exploring the boundaries between digital and analog.

• Necati Seydi Ferahoğlu: A practice working with sculpture and object, questioning the relationship between space and material.

• Nurdan Karasu Gökçe: Works visually researching cultural memory and geographical identity.

Frequently Asked Questions About “Edge of the Sun”

• Until when and how can the exhibition be visited?

“Edge of the Sun” is open between July 9 – September 30, 2026, at Kalyon Kültür, Nişantaşı Stone Mansion.

• Which artists are featured?

Güliz Baydemir, Mustafa Albayrak, Mümin Candaş, Necati Seydi Ferahoğlu, and Nurdan Karasu Gökçe. A total of 21 works.

• What is Kalyon Kültür?

An Istanbul-based cultural institution active since 2020. 17 exhibitions, ~100,000 visitors. Curator Aslı Bora serves as art director in programming. Operates at Nişantaşı Stone Mansion.

NO-26 Note

This exhibition gives you time until the end of September, but experiencing works dealing with the July sun and the light of the Anatolian geography during the same season is something else entirely.