Message From The Founder

A developed and modern society that deeply cares about contemporary and human values was at the heart of the vision for the Republic of Turkey. As the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, has said, “A nation without art has lost one of its vital vessels,” clearly revealing the role of art within this vision.

Borusan, as one of the most prominent industry and commerce groups in Turkey, and as a global player in these fields, has never seen itself as only a business group in the 80 years since its founding. As my late father, who was the founder and honorary president of Borusan, Asım Kocabıyık has said, one of our priorities has always been to “return to this country what we have gained from it.” Our social responsibility projects have played an increasingly eminent role in our corporate culture.

Today, one of the main axis of the social responsibility activities of Borusan, hosted under the Borusan Kocabıyık Foundation, is arts and culture. Every year, Borusan sets aside a considerable budget to help develop arts and culture in Turkey. A work that Borusan offers to art lovers is Borusan Contemporary, established in the Haunted Mansion in Istanbul’s Rumelihisarı, the headquarters of the conglomerate and the first office art center in Turkey.

Our art center is propelled by the Borusan Contemporary Art Collection, focusing on the rapidly developing media art as inspired by modern technologies and artists who work with these methods. In addition to site-specific installations, works by established or promising artists are shared with the public through exhibitions.

In addition to the exhibitions, the wide range of events and workshops at Borusan Contemporary serve an important social role in line with today’s definition of an art center. Borusan Contemporary serves to increase the visibility of art and artistic activities for our society.

Borusan is dedicated to continue supporting the arts by making arts and culture more accessible, supporting the journey of Turkey to becoming more modern.

Ahmet Kocabıyık
Chairperson
Borusan Holding

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