Exhibiting the 143-Year History of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University
Founded in 1882 as the School of Fine Arts (Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi), later continuing for many years as the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts, and today known as Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Turkey’s first art school is once again presented to art enthusiasts under the title “Academy Time.”
Prepared to showcase the university’s 143-year history, the second part of the project is curated by Emre Zeytinoğlu, Can Aytekin, and E. Osman Erden, with exhibition design by Savaş Çekiç.
This section of Academy Time focuses on the years 1948–1982, a pivotal period during which the Academy endured a devastating fire but subsequently transformed into a university, marking a significant milestone in its institutional history.
The exhibition adopts a documentary approach to present the Academy’s history, modernization initiatives, artistic orientations, as well as the often conflicting yet reconciling dynamics of its administrative structures and educational methods. Through explanatory texts, archival materials, and original works by the Academy’s faculty and students, visitors are offered a comprehensive panorama of this formative era.
“Academy Time” opens on September 17, 2025, at the Istanbul Museum of Painting and Sculpture.
