an interview with Vasıf Kortun, Director of Research and Programmes at SALT Istanbul
I have been approached by many people living in Europe asking me about the closure of SALT. There seems to be the assumption that the entire institution was shut down. Could you comment on this issue?
It is a fact that our venue on Istiklal remains closed. This is the situation and it is still fluid in the sense that there hasn’t been an executive decision on how to proceed. There are multiple options. If we assume that it will take nearly two years to get everything in order, we have to ask ourselves if this building will still be in a condition in which we would like to use it, or if there will be new impediments on the way of use. The second problem is that we don’t have an understanding of what Istiklal Street will turn into; for example, if ARTER will remain on the street once Koç’s new museum opens. If not, without ARTER and Borusan Art Center, we have to assess the advantages of retaining a foothold on this street.
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