Alex Červený's First Solo Exhibition in Türkiye Opens at Zeyrek Çinili Hamam
Brazilian artist Alex Červený is showcasing 'Atlas of Encounters', his inaugural solo exhibition in Türkiye, at Istanbul's Zeyrek Çinili Hamam. Curated by Anlam de Coster, the exhibition features more than 30 works displayed in the Byzantine cistern beneath the 16th-century hammam. Running from September 24, 2026, to January 31, 2027, it includes new commissions and pieces created after Červený's initial visit to Istanbul, presented to the public for the first time. Highlights include interventions on ancient manuscripts, gravures, canvas paintings, traditional towel embroidery, and parchment sculptures. A significant piece involves an intervention on a facsimile of an engraving by Dutch artist Cornelis de Bruijn. The 'Astronomy Notebook' series, crafted during countless nights in Pera, features interventions on Ottoman astronomy pages found in a vintage bookshop over 15 years ago. The curator describes the cistern as the 'Hammam's subconscious,' which also reveals recently discovered ship graffiti linked to Barbarossa's galley slaves. Červený (b. 1963, São Paulo) has previously exhibited at Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain, Gwangju Biennial, and Pinacoteca de São Paulo, with an upcoming exhibition at Moderna Museet in Stockholm this spring.
Key facts
- Alex Červený's first solo exhibition in Türkiye is titled 'Atlas of Encounters'.
- The exhibition is curated by Anlam de Coster.
- It takes place at Zeyrek Çinili Hamam in Istanbul.
- The exhibition runs from September 24, 2026 to January 31, 2027.
- Over 30 works are installed in the Byzantine cistern beneath the 16th-century hammam.
- New commissions and pieces made after Červený's first visit to Istanbul are shown publicly for the first time.
- Works include interventions on manuscripts, gravures, canvas paintings, embroidery on towels, and parchment sculptures.
- A major new work is an intervention on a facsimile of an engraving of Istanbul by Cornelis de Bruijn.
- The 'Astronomy Notebook' series was created over many nights in Pera, using pages from Ottoman astronomy compendia.
- Červený discovered the Ottoman astronomy pages in a vintage bookshop in Istanbul over 15 years ago.
- The cistern contains recently uncovered ship graffiti attributed to galley slaves of Barbarossa.
- Červený was born in 1963 in São Paulo.
- He has exhibited at Fondation Cartier, Gwangju Biennial, Pinacoteca de São Paulo, and will exhibit at Moderna Museet in Stockholm.
- Zeyrek Çinili Hamam was commissioned by Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha and designed by Mimar Sinan.
Entities
Artists
- Alex Červený
- Cornelis de Bruijn
- Mimar Sinan
- Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha
Institutions
- Zeyrek Çinili Hamam
- Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain
- Gwangju Biennial
- Pinacoteca de São Paulo
- Moderna Museet
Locations
- Istanbul
- Türkiye
- São Paulo
- Stockholm
- Pera