Image: KültürSanat
2026 is the centenary of the foundation of the Koç Group, and an exhibition entitled Imprints on the Century: The Koç Group and the Arts is being held at the Yapı Kredi Cultural Centre in Galatasaray, Beyoğlu, Istanbul.
Founded three years after the proclamation of the Turkish Republic, the Koç Group is now celebrating its centennial. We at Yapı Kredi Culture, Arts and Publishing have decided to chronicle this event by focussing on the Koç Group’s contributions to Turkey’s cultural and artistic life. In 1926 Ahmet Vehbi, still in his twenties, registered the businesses he had inherited from his father with the Ankara Chamber of Commerce. The successful journey thus set in motion in Ankara would eventually encompass major industrial and commercial ventures as well as lasting cultural and artistic institutions that contribute to the preservation of Turkey’s cultural heritage.
Imprints on the Century weaves a colourful, multidimensional and historical narrative recounting the development of the Koç Group. The exhibition has therefore been conceived as a timeline stretching from the 1920s to the present day. Revolving around the Koç Group’s contributions in the field of culture and the arts, it seeks to paint as broad a picture as possible of these achievements while highlighting a selection of developments that have left a deep imprint on Turkey’s cultural and social history.
Imprints on the Century presents a narrative consisting of artworks and archival materials, focussing on the group’s institutional collections. Encompassing photographs and documents as well as a selection of artworks and artefacts from these collections, the exhibition sheds light on each institution’s specific approach. Spanning a vast array of fields ranging from architecture and industrial design to archaeology, contemporary art, ethnographic artefacts and restoration projects, it offers a unique opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of the group’s relationship with the arts.
Curator: Didem Yazıcı
Yapı Kredi Cultural Centre
İstiklal Cad. No. 161
Galatasaray, Beyoğlu, İstanbul
Tel: +90 252 47 00
Website
Opening times: Every day 11.00 - 19.00
Entrance free of charge
Image: KültürSanat
