How Did We Get Here: Reading Vasıf Kortun

How Did We Get Here: Reading Vasıf Kortun features an in-depth interview on the approaches shaping Vasıf Kortun’s work as a writer, educator, and curator. Conducted by Sezin Romi from Salt, the interview offers a multifaceted perspective on institutional practices in context. The publication opens a discussion on the past, present, and future of cultural institutions and their relationship to the public.

Designed by Esen Karol, How Did We Get Here also features texts by Manuel Borja-Villel, Céline Condorelli, Joshua Decter, Charles Esche, Kathy Halbreich, Defne Koryürek, Prem Krishnamurthy, and November Paynter.

Beginning with Kortun’s 1977 trip to Western Europe, which sparked his interest in contemporary art, the publication traces his journey from his university years in New York to his first encounters with the Turkish art scene in the late 1980s, his tenure at the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College (1993–1997), and his subsequent work in Türkiye. It details his approaches to challenging museological norms and creating space for experimental practices, as well as his academic interests, decolonial perspective, and collective modes of working.