Barın Han

Barın Han, a five-storey han in Çemberlitaş on the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul, has been an independent art space since 2019. For many years it housed the studio and bindery of Emin Barın, the calligrapher and bookbinding artist. It then stood empty for 17 years after the printing trade left the city centre.

The building gives groups of artists room both to make work and to show it, and hosts exhibitions, workshops and meetings. It was one of the venues of the 17th Istanbul Biennial. Shows held there include Alican Şahinler's first solo exhibition, Zero Gravity, curated by Misal Adnan Yıldız, and the group exhibition Narrative Power Alliance, both running into early 2025.

Emin Barın studied Latin calligraphy and bookbinding in German studios between 1937 and 1943. His Thursday gatherings with intellectuals took place in his office. An ancient cistern lies beneath the building.