Founded by Hazer Ozil in 2002 in Istanbul’s Nisantasi district, Dirimart has been instrumental in strengthening Istanbul’s role in the global art world bycultivating long-lasting relationships with prominent international artists. It has successfully introduced internationally acclaimed artists, including ThomasBayrle, Hermann Nitsch, Shirin Neshat, Bernard Frize, Julian Rosefeldt, Candida Höfer, Franz Ackermann, Peter Zimmermann, Sarah Morris, and Ghada Ameramong others to the Turkish art scene.

Dirimart is also strongly committed to promoting established and emerging contemporary artists from Turkey internationally, such as Sarkis, Ayse Erkmen, HayalPozanti, Nasan Tur, Guclu Oztekin, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Ozlem Gunyol & Mustafa Kunt, and Ebru Uygun as well as Fahrelnissa Zeid and Yuksel Arslan who wereactive in the 20th century.Dirimart’s first gallery space was located in Nisantasi, Istanbul’s center for high fashion and entertainment, which has also been populated by art galleries sincethe 1970s. Dirimart Nisantasi hosted more than 100 exhibitions between its inauguration in 2002 and its closing at the end of 2018. The gallery has been operatingexclusively at its Dolapdere premises since the beginning of 2019.

Inaugurated in May 2016, Dirimart’s second gallery space in Istanbul, Dirimart Dolapdere, is a significant addition to the contemporary art scene in the city.

Dolapdere is a rapidly emerging art district within the Beyoglu periphery, the cultural center of Istanbul. The opening exhibition was curated by Heinz PeterSchwerfel and featured both Turkish and foreign artists—Franz Ackermann, Haluk Akakce, Ayse Erkmen, Bernard Frize, Isaac Julien, Sarah Morris, Shirin Neshat, Eva Rothschild, Tomas Saraceno and Ebru Uygun. Designed by architect Markus Dochantschi of Studio MDA, New York, it includes a generousexhibition and office space as well as an outdoor sculpture garden, making it one of the largest galleries in Istanbul.