what defines us
Secant space is a curatorial platform and art residency for people active in the art, cultural, and research fields. It is open to both established and emerging artists, curators, and researchers, with a particular interest in research-based or long-term projects.
It places at its core the creation of spaces for dialogue and meaningful, sensitive collaboration. It never loses sight of support, accessibility, and opportunities for connection, all while offering a comfortable environment conducive to reflection and calm, as well as to discovering a vibrant and striking city.
Secant Space is, at its core, a shared space — but more broadly, it seeks to build a network of meaningful human connections. At a time when the notion of the “local” is often celebrated in ways that reinforce boundaries, cultural divides, and even fear of the unfamiliar, Secant Space chooses instead to prioritize openness: encounters, exchange, and a deeper understanding of others, including those whose experiences or perspectives differ from one’s own.
Secant Space does not require any specific production or final report at the end of the residency. Anyone interested in participating is invited to apply by submitting their project via email. Selection is based on the project itself, its connection to the city of Istanbul, and the type of support the residency can provide.
CURAtor
Eléonore Varone studied contemporary history and art history before developing a curatorial practice focused on artistic approaches rooted in the present, particularly in their relationship to space.
She grew up in Italy (Milan), studied in Switzerland, and began her professional journey in New York (MoMA) and Mumbai (Lakeeren Gallery). Upon returning to Switzerland, she worked for several years with the Centre d’art contemporain d’Yverdon-les-Bains (CACY), following a formative period at mamco in Geneva. Alongside her institutional work, she engages in collective and community-based projects that often take place outside conventional exhibition spaces — in places where art is not typically expected. She has contributed to contemporary arts festivals such as Les Créatives (Geneva) and Belluard Bollwerk International (Fribourg), collaborated with the Laténium, Switzerland’s largest archaeological museum, and continues to curate exhibitions between Switzerland and Turkey.
Partner in Creative Research and Collective Practice
SAYE Kolektif
SAYE is an independent platform dedicated to fostering artistic exploration, critical research, and co-creation. Conceived as a playground for adults, SAYE nurtures experimentation, self-expression, and meaningful dialogue across disciplines.
Operating around annually curated themes, SAYE places strong emphasis on the creative process itself — inviting participants to engage deeply with their own practice and with others. Through intra-disciplinary and intra-personal encounters, the platform uses art as a shared language to explore complex questions and emerging ideas.
Beyond artistic production, SAYE is committed to exploring how communities are formed, how they move together, and how they maintain individual agency within collective structures. Equality, inclusiveness, fairness, and transparency are at the heart of SAYE’s ethos, forming the foundation of its trusted and trusting creative environment.
As a collaborator, SAYE brings an acute sensitivity to process-based work, and a strong commitment to ethical and sustainable modes of cultural exchange.
