One of the more established contemporary art galleries in Nişantaşı (and the city in general), Kare Gallery was founded in 1991 by Fatma Saka, who, armed with a degree in business management and a deep interest in art, saw the need to fill a gap in the market.

Covertly housed in an apartment building surrounded by flashy eateries and designer boutiques on fashionable Abdi İpekçi Caddesi, Kare Gallery hosts compelling and often conceptual exhibitions.

Since its launch, the gallery has hosted over 200 exhibitions. First, Saka was primarily concerned with showcasing artists of the post-1960 Turkish abstract movement, but in more recent years, she has started supporting emerging artists working in different disciplines.

Around eight solo and group exhibitions are staged every year. The gallery also has a library of global art literature, which also focuses on the significant pieces of post-1960 Turkish art.

On the roster are a mixture of veteran and new talent, including the Cypriot artist Emin Çizenel; Fatma Tülin, who has had over 30 solo exhibitions in Turkey and France since coming onto the scene in 1973; New York-based Mehmet Ayanoğlu; Mustafa Pancar, some of whose paintings belong to Istanbul Modern’s collection; and Serkan Yüksel. One of the brightest new artists is Berke Yazıcıoğlu, who has been educated in Chicago and is able to accurately portray the emotions of the people he paints in his portraits.