Contemporary art from China set for Istanbul showing

The Istanbul Modern will join in celebrations for the Year of Chinese Culture in Turkey with an exhibition of contemporary art from China opening later this week. "Transformation: A View on Chinese Contemporary Art" will go on public display on Friday at the Karakoy-based museum's temporary exhibit hall. Curated by Sun Feng, the exhibition will feature works by 15 Chinese artists and artist groups. The works in the exhibition were selected from among pieces that reinterpret traditional Chinese culture and philosophy through the use of contemporary techniques, new discoveries and groundbreaking approaches, the museum says on its website, www.istanbulmodern.org. Held with support from the Chinese and Turkish ministries of culture and the Chinese Embassy in Ankara, the Istanbul Modern exhibition is set to run until Nov. 25. In return, a selection from the Istanbul Modern's permanent collection is scheduled to travel to Shanghai in 2013. The Year of Chinese Culture in Turkey marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Turkey and China.