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Pera Palace Exhibition Showcases 50 Years Turkish Figurative Painting Through July 2026
The Master’s Hands show at Galata Exhibition Hall, drawn from the Demsa Collection, remains open through 31 July 2026 with works by Neşet Günal and his students.
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The exhibition “The Master’s Hands: Artists Who Passed Through Neşet Günal’s Studio” continues at the Galata Exhibition Hall inside Pera Palace Hotel, presenting paintings by artists who trained under the late master. It runs until 31 July 2026, giving visitors a direct view of figurative painting traditions that developed across five decades in Turkey.
Neşet Günal’s studio legacy
Neşet Günal began his own studies at the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts in 1939. Between 1964 and 1983 he mentored dozens of painters at the same institution, shaping successive generations through a shared approach to observation and production rather than a single style. The current exhibition gathers works from that period to show how his teaching continued to influence Turkish figurative art long after his active mentoring years ended.
Artists featured from the Demsa Collection
The show includes pieces by Neşet Günal himself together with Ahmet Umur Deniz, Asım İşler, Artin Demirci, Aydın Ayan, Cansen Ercan, Emel Şahinkaya (Günsür), Cemal Gürsel Soyel, Cihat Aral, Fahri Sümer, Hüsnü Koldaş, İnci Eviner, İrfan Okan, İrfan Önürmen, Kasım Koçak, Kemal İskender, Mahir Güven, Mehmet Güleryüz, Nedret Sekban, Neş’e Erdok, Nevhiz Tanyeli, Resul Aytemür, Sabahattin Tuncer and Serap Murath. Each artist’s path crossed Neşet Günal’s studio, and the selection demonstrates the range of approaches that emerged from that common training ground.
Practical details for visitors
The Galata Exhibition Hall is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 and closed on Mondays. No advance booking is required for general admission. Guests staying at Pera Palace Hotel can combine a visit with the property’s other facilities, which include the Agatha Restaurant, Kubbeli Lounge, Patisserie de Pera, Orient Bar and Orient Terrace, all located on the same site in the historic Pera district.
Because the exhibition closes at the end of July, anyone planning to attend should check current opening hours directly with the hotel before travel. The display offers a concise record of how one teacher’s methods shaped a wide circle of painters whose careers extended well into later decades.