Perili Köşk Art

Perili Köşk, otherwise known as the "Haunted Mansion," is a monumental structure that stands proudly at Rumelihisarı in the Sarıyer district on the European shores of the Bosporus. The 103-year-old opulent building was constructed in 1910 by Yusuf Ziya Pasha, the Ottoman business and shipping tycoon, along with Abbas Hilmi Pasha, the Turkish viceroy to Egypt. In 1914, when World War I broke out and the Ottoman Empire joined the conflict, the construction of the mansion - which had already began - came to a halt as all men had to enlist in the army.

The nine-story, red-brick mansion gained its title as the "Haunted Mansion" by the local community as a result of its unfinished state. The fourth floor was home to the Pasha and his second wife Nebiye along with her three daughters until 1993, long after his death in 1926. The manor that was purchased in 1993 by Basri Erdoğan, who began construction and restoration in 1995 and completed it in 2000. The talented architect Hakan Kıran remained true to the original architectural plans and ensured the finest quality materials were used in its construction and restoration by having its bricks imported from the U.K. While the external facade of the mansion was preserved, the interior space was designed and arranged to cater for the growing needs of Borusan Holding, which began using the building as its office in 2007.

Borusan Holding, which was established in 1944 celebrates its 70th anniversary this year and continues to grow locally and globally in the steel, telecommunications, automotive, logistics and energy industries. The founder, Asım Kocabıyık, with his current CEO Agah Ugur has certainly remained true to the company's three main pillars of providing customers with economical solutions, taking risks in further developing the company and successfully providing customer service without compromising its product.

Used as office space during the day, the manor opened its doors on Sept. 17, 2011 to the public as an art house on the weekends and public holidays. Borusan Contemporary as a museum hosts a program of exhibitions, events and educational initiatives. The art is strategically categorized by their specific focus such as artists that work with time, light, technology, video, software and so on. The art is incorporated into the office space where staff work during the day, creating a unique museum.

Its March to June exhibition theme was "Common Ground: Earth, Water, Air" and brought together pieces of art that shared concerns with these concepts on earth. A total of 57 artists including the likes of Australian Andrew Rogers with his abstract sculpture titled "Bronze," gold displayed on the open terrace, French artist Thierry Dreyfus with his piece "Our Dreams Remain Our Dreams," who specializes in the use of light. Ivan Navarro who also works with light, displays his work titled "Exodo," meaning exit is placed in a circular plywood mirror that leaves viewers feeling as though they are falling into a deep dark well. The visual illusion is magnificent to the point of hypnotic.

On the third and fourth floors of the building hang art works that focus on the natural environment. Among these is a piece by Necdet Kalay. The Istanbul-born artist has six of his works on display, which will certainly have you analyzing the oil on canvas or oil on cardboard for some time. The exhibition is set to receive its new collection this month and will reopen on June 14 with its new collection of art themed "West Coast Vision."