Serra Yentürk appointed director of SAHA

SAHA, a prominent organization dedicated to supporting visual artists, curators, and writers from Turkey, has announced the appointment of Serra Yentürk as its new director. Founded in 2011, SAHA has been instrumental in enhancing the production and development environments for Turkish visual artists, as well as fostering their engagement with international art institutions and networks. Yentürk, who has been serving as the Interim Director since February 2024, will now officially take the helm as SAHA’s third director.

A Vision for the Future

Füsun Eczacıbaşı, the founding chairwoman of SAHA, expressed her confidence in Yentürk’s leadership. “I firmly believe that Serra will join forces with the art community and colleagues to promote projects that reimagine contemporary art and open doors to new questions,” Eczacıbaşı stated. She emphasized that Yentürk’s leadership comes at a time when the art world is continuously rethinking the present and the future. Yentürk is expected to engage deeply with SAHA’s team and members, steering the organization toward new horizons.

The Selection Process

Following the departure of Yentürk’s predecessor, Çelenk Bafra, in February 2024, SAHA initiated an open call for applications to fill the director position. A Search Committee was formed, led by Haro Cümbüşyan, with members including Aslı Meral Atay, Berna Tuğlular, Felekşan Onar, Saruhan Doğan, and Füsun Eczacıbaşı. After carefully reviewing the applications, the committee unanimously recommended Yentürk to SAHA’s Board of Directors. The Board then appointed Yentürk as the new director, marking a unanimous decision that reflects the confidence in her vision and capabilities.

About Serra Yentürk

Serra Yentürk brings a wealth of experience to her new role at SAHA. From 2022 to 2024, she served as the Studio Coordinator, managing SAHA’s collaborations with international residency programs. Her academic background includes studying Sociology in Brussels at the KUB, earning a BA in Art History from Hacettepe University, and completing an MA in Cultural Management at Istanbul Bilgi University. Her thesis focused on visual artist estates, exploring the concept from ethical and legal perspectives.

Yentürk’s professional journey includes working at Galeri Nev Istanbul from 2012 to 2016, where she curated the notable exhibition “Robert Mapplethorpe: 1979–89” in 2016. Between 2016 and 2020, she was based in Paris, engaging in independent curatorial and editorial work. In 2021, she served as the editor of Borusan Contemporary, further solidifying her reputation in the art world.

About SAHA

SAHA Association was established in 2011 with the mission of supporting artists, curators, and writers in the visual arts from Turkey. The organization aims to improve their production and development environments while enhancing their interactions with international art institutions and networks. Over the years, SAHA has supported 650 different artists, curators, writers, and art initiatives, contributing to their projects in over 220 museums, biennials, and non-profit art institutions across 46 countries.

Conclusion

Serra Yentürk’s appointment as SAHA’s third director signals a new chapter for the organization and the broader Turkish art community. With her extensive experience and clear vision, Yentürk is poised to lead SAHA in its continued efforts to support and promote contemporary art on both a national and international scale. The art world will be watching closely as Yentürk guides SAHA into its next phase of growth and innovation.