what defines us
Secant space is a residency for people active in the art, cultural and research fields. It is open to both established and emerging artists, curators and researchers, with a particular interest in the identity of the project presented. Its priorities are accessibility, support and networking, and it offers a comfortable space conducive to reflection and calm, as well as to discovering a striking city.
Secant space sees the residence as an opportunity to live with what is out of the ordinary and to accept a different everyday life. It can offer targeted support for a specific research or creative project. It promotes shared spaces and meeting based on relevant exchanges with the resident.
Secant space does not require any particular production or report at the end of the stay. Residents will be selected on the basis of their project, its link with the city of Istanbul and the support that the residency can give. An artistic curator will be responsible for coordinating and selecting the projects.
CURAtor
Eléonore Varone is an art historian and curator. She grew up in Italy (Milan), studied in Switzerland before moving to New York (MoMA) and Mumbai (Lakeeren Gallery) for her first professional experiences. On her return to Switzerland, she worked for 5 years with a brand new contemporary art centre (CACY), having previously worked at mamco in Geneva. Accompanying her institutional career with collective and associative initiatives, she develops and participates in artistic projects that take place outside exhibition spaces, where art is not initially expected. She took part consequently in contemporary arts festivals in Geneva (Les Créatives), Fribourg (Belluard Bollwerk International), collaborated with the Laténium, largest archeological museum in Switzerland, and continues to curate exhibitions between Switzerland and Turkey.
Partner in Creative Research and Collective Practice
SAYE Kolektif
SAYE is an independent platform dedicated to fostering artistic exploration, critical research, and co-creation. Conceived as a playground for adults, SAYE nurtures experimentation, self-expression, and meaningful dialogue across disciplines.
Operating around annually curated themes, SAYE places strong emphasis on the creative process itself — inviting participants to engage deeply with their own practice and with others. Through intra-disciplinary and intra-personal encounters, the platform uses art as a shared language to explore complex questions and emerging ideas.
Beyond artistic production, SAYE is committed to exploring how communities are formed, how they move together, and how they maintain individual agency within collective structures. Equality, inclusiveness, fairness, and transparency are at the heart of SAYE’s ethos, forming the foundation of its trusted and trusting creative environment.
As a collaborator, SAYE brings an acute sensitivity to process-based work, and a strong commitment to ethical and sustainable modes of cultural exchange.
