Galeri Eksen Artist Suites is a first in the world gallery as it combines a café, gallery and apart rooms for artists to stay in one place. Located in historical neighborhood Balat, this is Galeri Eksen’s second place, first one located in posh neighborhood Nişantaşı.
First floor of Galeri Eksen Art and Artist Suites is both a gallery for classic and modern art and a café, upper floors has nicely decorated cozy rooms for artists to stay. Garden areas intended use is for workshops but they are able to make changes according to requested different usage ideas. Gallery is also used for fashion shoots and meeting arena.
Interior décor is very detailed, specially chosen antiques and Ottoman pieces are used for furnishing. Of course gallery and artist rooms have many previously exhibited art works (oil paintings / engravings) and even famous sculptor works. I had the chance to see artist rooms as well, and as expected good room decoration was in order! I also loved the pieces in stairways! The room I liked the most was the one looking over to the garden, in which you can see a tree is protected and become part of the building. Which is of course extra point for this gallery 🙂
Painters, photographers, sculptors, film makers, actors, ceramic artists, art lovers, collectors… anyone related to art are most welcomed to stay in the rooms of Galeri Eksen. Each room has its own sink and shower stall. From air conditioning to heating, TV to refrigerator, hair dryer, shampoo, room slippers rooms has all basic needs covered.
Owners are theater artist Ayla Önder and her husband art seller Aşkın Önder’s idea of opening a different concept gallery seems to be fulfilled here! Gallery has really good artists, at the time I was visiting some photographs from a 1970 exhibition and artist Çağdaş Erçelik’s works striked me most. I also liked a young artist such as himself (borned in 1983) is already recognized. You can check out Galeri Eksen Art Suites’s website to check out their artists. 
I can imagine myself starting the day in this art full room with a good breakfast and then exploring the historical Balat! Not to mention I’ll be able to check out new exhibitions and new works up famous and upcoming artists here.
Phone: 0 212 3273499
Address: Balat Mahallesi, Ayan Caddesi, No 32, Fatih, İstanbul
Special Note: If you are in Balat neighbourhood you might want to check out these places too; Dervish Father Cafe, Virgin Mary Ayazma, Anemas Cafe
