Gallery Apel opened its doors with the 'Palate' exhibition in 1998, and since then it has been known for its thematic exhibitions inspired by the everyday life experiences. Balcony (2016), Mines and Ores (2015), An Ad Break (2014), On 'the Kitchen' (2013), Clothing (2011), Vitrine (2010), Fountains and Culture Physique (2009), Reading Corner (2008), Newroz and Neighbours are a few examples of these thematic exhibitions.

Gallery Apel is on the Hayriye Caddesi (Avenue), which takes its name from Şirket-i Hayriye, a firm founded in 1850 in order to carry passengers in the Bosporus. The avenue is directly connected to Salı Pazarı Port right at the bottom of the street. The 'Harbour' exhibition aims to underline the gallery's social and cultural ties with its environment Harbours are strategic communication and interaction areas, where the goods, people, cultures and languages from different continents and countries come together and mingle with one another. Currently, the cross-continental ports of Istanbul are undergoing radical changes, as they have in the past. The rams beat like the loud ticks of the clock, representing the sound of the passing time in the city. The historical and current importance of the harbours coincidentally inspired two independent exhibitions with the same theme in Gallery Apel and Istanbul Modern, which is one of the most established art institutions in Turkey. We would like to thank our artists who contributed to the exhibition through their specific interpretations and artworks, produced with different materials and techniques. Endam Acar, İdil Akbostancı, Aydan Baktır, Sakine Çil, Gürbüz Doğan Ekşioğlu, Sümbül Eren, Aslımay Altay Göney, Esra Carus Gülaydın, Güler Güngör, Barış Koçanoğlu, Raziye Kubat, Suzy Hug Levy, Zeynep Perinçek, Leyla Sakpınar, Nevzat Sayın, Emre Senan, Maria Sezer, Elif Süsler, Rüçhan Şahinoğlu, Yıldız Şermet, Gamze Taşdan, Hande Varsat, Shirley Verrette, Bahadır Yıldız.