The museum is free for Turks to visit but in December was the scene of a protest over the shortening of opening hours. Another term of conservative government led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has sparked fresh fears for freedom of expression, with Istanbul Modern’s chief curator leaving in unexplained circumstances last August.
For now, the art still affords visitors possibly their only insight into the complex politics of modern Turkish culture, with most tour guides and locals politely declining to discuss the intricacies of the right-wing coalition.
A striking mural with graffiti that reads “the only good nation is imagination” echoes some of the criticism coming from Kurdish artists who have described the Istanbul art scene as on the verge of crisis.
On the second floor of Istanbul Modern is Restaurant Modern, a smart restaurant with fabulous views and outdoor seating that puts a new twist on…