As part of the “Turkish Authors at Bilkent” series, Bilkent University Library is pleased to host writer, educator, and curator Vasıf Kortun, alongside Sezin Romi, the editor of the book “How Did We Get Here: Reading Vasıf Kortun”. The event will feature a conversation on the development of the book, which examines the approaches shaping Kortun’s practice and his perspectives on traditional and contemporary cultural institutions. The discussion will also reflect on the period between 1990 and 1992 when Kortun taught at Bilkent University. Drawing on his experience as the founding director of the Istanbul Contemporary Art Project, Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center, and Salt, the talk will explore the past, present, and future of cultural institutions and their relationship with the public interest. The talk will be held in Turkish.
Date & Time: April 9, 2026, Thursday | 12:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Place: Main Campus Library, Art Gallery
All Bilkent members are cordially invited.
Best Regards,
Bilkent University Library
About Vasıf Kortun
Vasıf Kortun served as the founding director of Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center (2001–2010) and Salt (2011–2017). He co-curated the Taipei Biennial (2008), the 9th International Istanbul Biennial (2005), and the 24th São Paulo Biennial (1998), and served as the director and curator of the 3rd International Istanbul Biennial (1992). He is currently a research and curatorial advisor at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art (Doha). Additionally, he is the editor of the Mathaf Encyclopedia, an online platform gathering biographies, critical essays, and research tools focused on modern and contemporary art in the Arab world. Along with Nadia Radwan, he co-curated the exhibition we refuse_d, which opened at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in October 2025 and at M HKA (Antwerp) in March 2026. Kortun’s past and current projects can be accessed via his personal website, vasifkortun.com.
About Sezin Romi
Sezin Romi is the Library and Archive Manager at Salt. In addition to overseeing library operations at Salt Research, she manages the processes required to make art archives accessible. Her work focuses on the relationships among archival and library practices, knowledge production, historiography, and research methodologies. Her interests include the development of art history book collections in Turkey since the 1950s, as well as archive and research projects.