Launched by Istanbul Modern in 2012, the Museums Talk series continues with a French museum. Organized in cooperation with the French Cultural Center in Istanbul, the event's first guest will introduce the art director of the Center Pompidou National Museum of Modern Art, Bernard Blistene. At the talk, to be held at the French Cultural Center on Jan. 16, Blistene will share his experiences.

Blistene's talk titled "Reflections on the Museum in the 21st Century" will start at 7 p.m. on Jan. 16 at the French Cultural Center.

About Bernard Blistene

Having chaired many exhibitions in the U.S., Blistene served as the Inspector General of the Artistic Creation for the Centre Pompidou in 2000. He served as Director of the Department of Cultural Development again for the same museum in 2008. Within that period, he designed an event titled "Un Nouveau Festival" ("A New Festival") which brought together various disciplines of contemporary art. Currently Blistene continues to serve at the Centre Pompidou, heading the development and restoration of modern and contemporary art collections.

Centre Pompidou's unique architecture

Hosting some of the most prominent collections of the world while offering the leading streams and artists of modern and contemporary art, the Centre Pompidou presents the artistic productions of the 20th and 21st century to the taste of art lovers by means of its unique collections.

The Centre Pompidou offers space for visual arts, photography, new media, experimental film, architecture, design and industrial production and sheds light on interdisciplinary relations between these various disciplines.

Built as a result of an international contest, the Centre Pompidou is known as a cultural center that brings together various disciplines. Designed by Gianfranco Franchini with Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano, who were awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, one of the most prestigious architecture prizes in the world, the building caused a stir with its design that broke the rules of traditional cultural centers, especially in the first few years after its opening. Today it continues to draw visitors as one of the symbolic structures of Paris. The Museums Talk series serves as a network of information sharing and communication platform arranged by Istanbul Modern. It has in the past hosted directors of museums and art institutions from the U.S., U.K. and Germany to share their experiences with participants.