Art overload

Such a day, I hardly know where to begin, so the beginning is as good a place as any.... Feel free to move on, while I indulge in an unusually lengthy description of an overwhelmingly unusual day, art wise that is  ...

After a couple of hours at school this morning with another 'meet the parents' thingy, we art teachers (Maria, Celeste, Alex and me) took the bus to Taksim to see Maria's ceramics that are currently exhibited there, in the old C18th water cistern, now Art gallery.  Along with Maria's wonderful pieces, the other exhibits were equally astonishing and evocative - we were drooling and inspired. A trillion photos taken before moving on.

Back outside and in to wonderful sunshine and stunning blue skies, we walked the length of Istiklal Caddesi and beyond as Maria led us, through backstreets until we found her favourite restaurant, and now one of mine as well. Lebanese cuisine in an old early C19th Italian 'opera' house - not sure which had the most impact -the food or the building!  Another bunch of pics taken.

At the restaurant we were joined by Esra, so good to see her back in Istanbul.  Maria went to the Pera museum but the rest of us went to a smaller venue to see ceramics in what turns out to be one of the best exhibitions I have seen.  Overwhelmed with skilfully created thought provoking utterly beautiful artifacts meant yet another album of photos taken. When finally done, exhausted, we made it, just about, to a local bar for a recovery drink before heading home.

Rather glad I have no 'extra photos' allowance left on Blip so unable to agonise over which pics to choose, and so maybe that's why, in the end, I chose none of them and have instead, used side street graffiti art work for my blip today.  

Extras:
Art teachers discussing art
Myths Legends and Fables from 'Beyond the Vessel'

Links:
Taksim Cumhuriyet Art Gallery here and here
Maria Sezer, artist and colleague here
Beyond the Vessel ceramics exhibition at Meşher here