Tuesday, February 25, 2014

97. Nordic Glass @ Pera Museum

On a freezing wet windy morning in Istanbul, this adventurer tried to ignore the latest Arctic blast blowing in from the west - rugged up and set out to visit the wonderful Pera Museum - a brisk 30 minute walk from home.

This is a private museum founded by the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation with the aim of offering a broad range of high-quality culture and arts services. Inaugurated in 2005, the museum is located in the historic building of the former Hotel Bristol, which was designed by architect Achille Manoussos and built in 1893. It was renovated between 2003 and 2005 by restorer architect Sinan Genim, who preserved the fascade of the building and transformed the interior into a modern and fully equipped museum. 



Here there are five floors of gallery to explore. So checking in and depositing my outside weather gear in the cloak room, I head for the top floor and over the next three hours slowly make my way down through all the galleries ending up at the elegant cafe on the ground floor.

Since its inauguration, the Pera has collaborated with national and international arts institutions to bring to Istanbul world class exhibitions ... and today my senses are overwhelmed with five superbly curated and interesting exhibitions ...

 ... Aurora ...

The two top floors are taken up with an exhibition of Nordic glass art - titled AuroraThe 25 artists - from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland - present a contemporary interpretation of glass, taking their influences from the glamorous nature and traditions of the North through pushing the limits of material and technology in unorthodox ways. The exhibition is curated by Mats Jansson.

Framework II - Pipaluk Lake - Denmark - 2011

detail

Vase - Anu Penttinen - Finland - 2012

Vase - Anu Penttinen - Finland - 2012

Vase - Anu Penttinen - Finland - 2012

Vase - Anu Penttinen - Finland - 2012

Bowl - Camilla Moberg - Finland - 2009

Blue Balloons - Trine Drivsholm - Denmark - 2012

Impression II - Aesa Bjork - Iceland - 2013

detail

The First Impression from the Measuring Device for Negative Space 
Aesa Bjork - Iceland - 2010

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Eye II - Gunilla Kihlgren - Sweden - 2003

Bucket - Gunilla Kihlgren - Sweden - 2004

Inflated Cellular Structure Objects, Light Beige
Hans Christian Berg - Finland - 2012

detail

Bowl - Camilla Moberg - Finland - 2009

Bowl - Camilla Moberg - Finland - 2009

Installation - Fredrick Nielson - Sweden 2014

The Challenger - Paul Grahs - Sweden - 2011

Athos, Porthos, Aramis - Oiva Toikka - Finland - 2010

detail

detail

detail

Trophies - Paul Grahs - Sweden - 2013

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The Cog Doctor - Peter Hermansson - Sweden - 2013

Body Electric - Peter Hermansson - Sweden - 2013

detail of top

Blind Spot - Peter Hermansson - Sweden - 2013

detail of top

Icon - Pernille Braun - Denmark - 2011

detail

Rippels - Susanne Joker Jophnsen - Denmark - 2004

Fold II - Stine Bidstrup - Denmark - 2012

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Precious Liquid - Benjamin Slotteroy - Norway 2009

Stars, Stars - Markku Salo - Finland - 2011


untitled - Markku Salo - Finland - 2011

Pollen - Susanne Joker Johnsen - Denmark - 2008 

detail

detail

Installation - Ulrica Hydman-Vallien - Sweden - 2002
Orresfors crystal solid block painted in mixed media

To the Moon 

Crystal Lady

Animal Trip

The Nest - beginning and end of life
Ulrica Hydman-Vallien - Sweden - 2013
free blown glass eggs, engraved and enamel painted 

detail


In the six months of my visiting contemporary galleries in the US and Europe, the Pera Museum would have to rate as one of my very favourites - the curation and the "crispness" of the layout of the five floors is next to perfect ...

My next blog will feature the other exhitions ...  



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