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ARTWORKS Connects
SAHA <> ARTWORKS

Nikolaos Akritidis
Curatorial Residency Program in Istanbul: October 2025 

Nikolaos Akritidis is a curator and geographer based in Brussels. His work documents urban contexts, the cultural memory carried by their inhabitants, and the histories found between layers of the built environment. With a focus on urban ecology and experiences of migration, he traces the coexistence of human and more-than-human lives that give breath to the city’s constant state of becoming. A graduate of Goldsmiths and UCL, he has recently presented projects in partnership with the Cité internationale des arts (Paris), koraï project space (Nicosia), Fondations 312 (Brussels), and the UCL Urban Lab (London).

His research project during the Curatorial Exchange Program in SAHA Association (Istanbul) explored the interplay between art, memory, and urban transformation, with a particular focus on public space and the shores of the Bosphorus. Through studio visits, collaborations, and archival research, he aimed to develop a curatorial framework that reflects Istanbul’s layered history and position as a bridge between East and West. This research during the residency culminated in the presentation of a public talk and the production of a new text, fostering dialogue with local practitioners and audiences.

Nikolaos Akritidis was in residence at SAHA (Istanbul) from September 22 until October 31 2025

nikolaosakritidis.com

Discussion on the tradition of cafés as social hubs in Istanbul and beyond, Nikolaos Akritidis, Pasaj Zivo, Istanbul
Discussion on the tradition of cafés as social hubs in Istanbul and beyond, Nikolaos Akritidis, Pasaj Zivo, Istanbul
Reading Sessions “Periodical Observations”, IMÇ block 5, Istanbul
Reading Sessions “Periodical Observations”, IMÇ block 5, Istanbul
Reading Sessions “Periodical Observations”, IMÇ block 5, Istanbul
Reading Sessions “Periodical Observations”, IMÇ block 5, Istanbul
Reading Sessions “Periodical Observations”, IMÇ block 5, Istanbul
Studio visit, Zeynep Yılmaz
Archives at the Zofia Rizi Memorial House in Polonezköy
Studio visit, Can Memişoğulları
Studio visit, Gizem Ünlü
Studio visit, Mk Yurttaş
Studio visit, İris Ergül
View of the Bosphorus from the ferry to Kadıköy

Within the scope of the collaboration between ARTWORKS and SAHA Association, independent curator Nikolaos Akritidis, gave a talk about the topics he focuses on during his residency and the projects he has carried out to date.

On Wednesday, 17 December 2025, a discussion took place between independent curator Nikolaos Akritidis and Serra Yentürk, Director of SAHA Association, at ISET (Valaoriou 9A, Athens).

Following the completion of his residency at SAHA in Istanbul, Nikolaos spoke about what it means to “read” a city – from everyday details and gestures in public space to the layered literary traces that shape urban life. Together with Serra, they also discussed Nikolaos’s new editorial project, Periodical Observations, which focuses on artistic writing and the historiography of spaces where coffee and tea are served.

Curatorial Exchange talk: Nikolaos Akritidis in conversation with Serra Yentürk
Serra Yentürk, Director of SAHA Association