MUSEUM SOLUTIONS
DIFOART is an art production studio based in Seyrantepe, Istanbul, producing museum and exhibition work in Turkey since 2004. It runs the entire process in a single studio, from concept to exhibition installation: archival pigment printing, historical photograph facsimile reproduction, large-format panel production, museum-standard framing and on-site installation. Completed projects include the Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum, Diyarbakır City Museum, İş Bankası Museum (Ankara), BJK Museum, Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi Museum, Asmadan Winery History Museum and The Story of Atatürk Photographs exhibition.
Why DIFOART
Production in a single studio — printing, framing, installation and transport handled by one team; one point of contact for the whole project
More than fifty completed museum projects
Hahnemühle Certified Studio Gold certification since 2013
Durst Lambda 131 laser exposure system — found in only a handful of studios in Turkey
Responsibility for transporting and placing original artworks
Photographic and printing experience dating back to REFO, founded in 1969
Museum services
Exhibition printing and exhibition graphics
Historical photograph restoration and facsimile reproduction
Large-format panels, wall coverings, wallpaper and foil printing
Information and wayfinding surfaces — UV printing
Duratrans and lightbox applications
Museum-standard framing, diasec and face mounting
Display case installation
Transport, protection and placement of original artworks
On-site installation and exhibition mounting
Materials and archival durability
DIFOART uses acid-free, lignin-free archival papers, pigment inks and UV protection options in museum projects. Production is carried out to Hahnemühle Certified Studio Gold standard. Pigment prints are produced on a Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-6100 and C-prints on a Durst Lambda 131 laser exposure system.
Production process
1. Initial consultation and scope definition
2. Sample and colour proof
3. Approval
4. Production
5. Shipping and on-site installation
6. Delivery and documentation
Tender and specification support
DIFOART provides technical specification support, reference letters and completion certificates for public and private museum projects. On-site installation is carried out outside Istanbul.
İstanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum
Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum — Exhibition Production for 250 Works
In 2022, DIFOART carried out the production and installation of a 250-work exhibition for the Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum. The project took four months. Production was carried out to Hahnemühle Certified Studio standard, using a Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-6100 pigment printing system and a Durst Lambda 131 laser exposure system. DIFOART also handled the transport of the original artworks and their placement in the exhibition hall.
Project details
Institution: Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum
Year: 2022
Number of works: 250
Duration: 4 months
Scope: Printing, framing, installation, transport and placement of original artworks
Printing systems: Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-6100, Durst Lambda 131
Standard: Hahnemühle Certified Studio Gold
Techniques: Fine art pigment printing, C-print, UV printing, foil printing, wallpaper
Project scope
The exhibition was not limited to printing and framing the works. The space itself was part of the production: wall surfaces were covered with wallpaper and foil printing, information panels were produced with UV printing, and the works were prepared for display with fine art printing and custom framing. All of it was produced in a single studio and installed by a single team.
Technology used
DIFOART produces C-prints using a Durst Lambda 131 laser exposure system. The Durst Lambda exposes a digital file onto real photographic paper with lasers; unlike inkjet printing, the result is a true photographic print developed through chemical processing. Pigment prints are produced on a Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-6100 to Hahnemühle Certified Studio Gold standard.
Transport of the original artworks
The most sensitive part of the project was not production but the transport and placement of the original artworks. DIFOART was responsible for moving, protecting and finally positioning all 250 works in the exhibition hall.
Result
The 250-work exhibition was produced, installed and delivered to the museum within four months.
Asmadan Winery History Museum
The Story Of Atatürk Photographs
BJK Museum
Diyarbakır City Museum
İs Bankası Museum Ankara
Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi Museum
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a C-print and a pigment print?
A C-print (chromogenic print) is produced by exposing a digital file onto real photographic paper with lasers and then developing it through chemical baths. The silver halide emulsion reacts to light and the image forms inside the paper; no ink is sprayed onto the surface. The result has the same structure as a photograph printed in a darkroom — continuous tone, no dot pattern. In pigment printing, archival ink is sprayed onto the paper surface, which offers a wider choice of papers and a longer lifespan. DIFOART produces both: C-prints on a Durst Lambda 131 laser exposure system, pigment prints on a Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-6100.
How long does an archival print last?
Print life depends on the paper, the ink and the display conditions. Hahnemühle states that its Fine Art papers printed with pigment ink have a lifespan of more than 200 years, based on accelerated light tests by Wilhelm Imaging Research and the French laboratory LNE. DIFOART uses acid-free, lignin-free papers and pigment inks in museum projects; UV protection options extend print life further.
How long does a museum project take?
Museum projects usually take between 2 and 6 months depending on scope. The Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum project was completed in four months with 250 works. The schedule depends on the number of works, the production techniques, whether original artworks must be transported, and the installation programme.
Do you provide technical specification support for museum projects?
Yes. DIFOART supports technical specification preparation for public and private museum projects and issues reference letters and completion certificates.
Do you handle the transport of original artworks?
Yes. In the Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum project, DIFOART was responsible for moving, protecting and finally positioning all 250 original works in the exhibition hall.
Do you carry out museum installations outside Istanbul?
Yes. DIFOART is based in Istanbul and carries out on-site installation and exhibition mounting across Turkey. The Diyarbakır City Museum and İş Bankası Museum Ankara projects were carried out outside Istanbul.