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The 20th edition of Contemporary Istanbul, Türkiye’s premier contemporary art fair, will take place from Sept. 24 to 28 at the historic Tersane Istanbul. Marking two decades since its foundation, this milestone edition promises to bring together an expansive selection of galleries, global museum partnerships, large-scale installations, and forward-looking discussions that examine the evolving art landscape.
A centrepiece of the fair will be the display of two iconic works from the internationally acclaimed BMW Art Car series. On one side stands the very first car in the collection, designed 50 years ago by the celebrated American artist Alexander Calder.
On the other, the newest addition to the series, created by renowned contemporary artist Julie Mehretu only a year ago. These vehicles, which bridge engineering with visual expression, are set to draw attention from both art enthusiasts and automobile collectors.
Visitors to this year’s Contemporary Istanbul will encounter curated selections from some of the world’s most influential art institutions. These include the UBS Digital Art Museum from Hamburg, Phillips Auction House in London, Mori Art Museum in Minato, Palais de Tokyo in Tokyo, and Asia Society from New York.
Also participating are the Sigg Art Foundation based in Le Castellet, AWITA from London. Each will bring selected works that offer insight into the curatorial trends shaping their respective regions.
The fair’s signature themed section, "Focus America," will this year place a spotlight on the city of New York. The program will explore the influence of the U.S. on the contemporary art ecosystem and its contribution to intercultural exchange.
Representatives and directors from institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Musee d’art contemporain de Montreal (MAC Montreal), the Brooklyn Museum, The Met, MoMA, and the Art Gallery of Ontario will be among the key participants. Their presence aims to foster new collaborations between artists, collectors, and curators across continents.
Running in parallel to the fair, the Golden Horn Light Festival will bring large-scale digital and light-based installations to the city’s historic shoreline. Organized by the Contemporary Istanbul Foundation, the festival will present approximately 14 distinct works combining light and digital media. The installations will include eight site-specific creations and six specially produced works by emerging artists, bridging past and future through immersive public art.
Adding a discursive dimension to the 20th edition, the Contemporary Istanbul Foundation (CIF) Dialogues conference series will take place under the theme “Shifting Coordinates: Istanbul and the Evolving Map of Art.” The panels and keynotes will examine cultural, technological, and geographic disruptions in the global art scene, while exploring Istanbul’s place within these shifts.
Notable speakers will include Jennifer Stockman, Honorary President of the Guggenheim Museum; Anne Pasternak, Director of the Brooklyn Museum, which celebrates its 200th anniversary this year; and Ahu Antmen, Director of Sabanci Museum in Istanbul.
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