The Purchase on Modernity: The Turkish National Narrative and Osman Hamdi Bey’s The Tortoise Trainer

Nisa Ari is a PhD student in the History, Theory, and Criticism of Architecture + Art program at MIT. She studies late- 19th and 20th century visual practices, with a focus on artwork from the Middle East. Her research explores the relationships between cultural politics and contemporary art institution building, specifically in Turkey and in Palestine. She holds a bachelor's degree in Art History from Stanford University.