THE Residency

Secant Space is an art residency based in Cihangir, in the centre of Istanbul, open to artists, curators, writers and researchers at different stages of their practice.

The residency is conceived as a place to step into a different context and give time to a project whether it is at an early stage, already in development, or simply needs space to be reconsidered. We are particularly interested in research-based and long-term practices, and in projects that can meaningfully engage with Istanbul and its context.

The space

Residents have an entire and fully independent floor within a two-storey apartment in Cihangir, with their own entrance, bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen. They also have access to a rooftop terrace overlooking the city and the Bosphorus.

The residency offers both privacy and proximity: a space for concentrated individual work while remaining closely connected to the everyday life of Istanbul. Cihangir is within walking distance of many of the city’s cultural institutions, galleries and independent initiatives, and provides a natural starting point from which to explore, meet people and conduct research.

Istanbul

Istanbul is not approached simply as the location of the residency, but as part of its context.

A city shaped by multiple histories, geographies, languages and continuous transformations, it offers an unusually dense ground for artistic and cultural research. Residents are encouraged to encounter the city according to the needs and questions of their own practice rather than through a predefined programme.

When relevant, Secant Space facilitates introductions to artists, curators, researchers, institutions, craftspeople or other people whose knowledge and experience can contribute to the resident’s research.

The aim is not to provide access to a ready-made network, but to create connections where they make sense.

Approach

There is no expectation that a residency should result in a finished work.

Secant Space accompanies projects through conversation, critical exchange and close attention to what each practice requires. This can involve discussing a project as it develops, questioning its direction, identifying relevant contexts or connections, or thinking together about how and where it might eventually take form.

Our approach is grounded in curiosity, not in prescription. We are interested in understanding the internal logic of a practice, the questions it raises, and what may emerge when it intersects with another place, another context or another perspective.

Like the geometric secant from which the platform takes its name, the residency is understood as a point of intersection: a temporary passage through a context that can connect previously distant points and open another direction.

Residents may stay from one week to three months.