Art groups protest free access restriction at İstanbul Modern

Three art groups yesterday staged a demonstration outside the İstanbul Museum of Modern Art, protesting the recent restriction of the museum’s free access day. 

İstanbul Modern had limited its weekly free access day to the hours of 10:00 to 14:00 after the opening of its new venue in Galataport, a port complex including luxury a luxury hotel and restaurants. 

Presenting over 5,500 collected signatures during the the Open Table Initiative, Participatory Art Community Turkey (PACT), and the Public Art Laboratory joined forces with 20 artists who gathered in front of the museum yesterday.  

The artists, carrying an eight-meter-long snake prop, expressed their opposition to the imposed restrictions through dances and songs, delivering the signatures to the museum authorities. 

In a statement read out during the protest, the protesters said, "İstanbul Modern Museum should lift the restrictions imposed on its free access day." 

"We demand the reinstatement of the free access day and the transparent disclosure of institutional information about the museum. 

"The arbitrary decision to reduce the free access day without providing any rationale infringes upon the right of the public, in terms of their socio-economic situation, to participate in cultural life." (AÖ/VK)