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Contemporary Istanbul has opened its 21st edition at Tersane Istanbul, bringing together 70 galleries from 16 countries while putting a particular spotlight on Asia's contemporary art scene through its "Focus: Asia" program.
Held with Akbank as its main partner and Tersane Istanbul as its cultural destination partner, the fair began with an opening reception attended by figures from the art, culture and business worlds. Of the participating galleries, 22 are taking part in Contemporary Istanbul for the first time.
The fair will remain open to visitors through Sept. 27.
This year's "Focus: Asia" program brings galleries, artists and different artistic practices from Asia's contemporary art scene to Istanbul, while the wider fair aims to build up connections between Türkiye's art ecosystem and the international contemporary art world.
First-time participants include Galeria Francisco Fino from Lisbon, Galerie La La Lande and Galerie Vallois from Paris, Galerie Thomas Schulte from Berlin, Michel Rein from Paris and Brussels, Pearl Lam Projects from Hong Kong and Shanghai, Takato Kano Gallery from Tokyo, Whitestone Gallery, Method Gallery from New Delhi and Shiva Zahed from Tehran and Istanbul.
Contemporary Istanbul founder and board chair Ali Gureli said the fair had always sought to bring together different worlds, including artists and audiences, galleries and collectors, institutions, cities and cultures.
"At a time when wars and divisions are increasingly pushing the world apart, art is a powerful common language that brings people together again, keeps dialogue alive and creates space for new connections between different cultures. Today, we need this unifying power of art more than ever," Gureli said.
He added that Istanbul had for centuries served as a center where different cultures, ideas and traditions not only came together but also influenced one another to create new cultural languages.
Akbank Chair Suzan Sabanci said the bank's partnership with Contemporary Istanbul had continued for 21 years, while Rixos Hotels founder and Chair Fettah Tamince said hosting the event was intended to make a lasting contribution to Istanbul's cultural and artistic life.
The fair extends beyond gallery presentations through special exhibitions, artist projects, large-scale installations and works placed across the public areas of Tersane Istanbul.
Among the most prominent is Jaume Plensa's nearly 7-meter-high cast-iron sculpture "Juana" from 2025, positioned on the Golden Horn waterfront. The work marks the artist's first public artwork in Istanbul.
The Contemporary Istanbul x Tersane Istanbul Sculpture Route also carries works by artists from different generations and geographies beyond the gallery booths, creating an art trail across the venue.
Special projects include Sheikh Rashid Al Khalifa's "Inhabited Crate," curated by Marc-Olivier Wahler, Chisato Matsumoto's "Sail of Light" installation in collaboration with Pearl Lam Projects, Artvisor's solo presentation of Shozo Shimamoto, the SIGG Art Foundation project featuring Johnny Depp's "The Bunnyman" sculpture, and a selection from MIA Art Collection focused on women artists.
The fair is also hosting a special exhibition dedicated to the artistic legacy of Mustafa Horasan, curated by Levent Calikoglu, while Akbank Sanat is presenting "Garip Seyler Oluyor," curated by Professor Hasan Bulent Kahraman.
Among the fair's additional exhibitions, Avantgarde Collection is presenting "Besinci Unsur," or "The Fifth Element," which looks at the relationship between nature and humanity through earth, water, air and fire.
Curated by Ecem Naz Cakir in partnership with Artist&Collectors, the exhibition features works by Cagla Ozturk, Ibrahim Yildizbas, Sevil Alkan, Ilknur Can, Mehmet Ali Yildiz and Yagiz Seis.
Ozturk's works draw on the colors and movement of the Marmara Sea through watercolor, while Mehmet Ali Yildiz focuses on traces left by fire and ideas of memory. At the center of the presentation, Yagiz Seis' "Nefese Dongu" sculpture places the human figure within the four-element concept.
Artist and interior architect Ladin Akuzum is meanwhile presenting "Koklerin Ufku: Ters Lale," a roughly 2.5-meter paper sculpture that reinterprets the inverted tulip, a plant associated with Van. Produced using crepe paper and an internal structure, the work also draws inspiration from Elite World Hotels & Resorts' origins in Van.
Contemporary Istanbul is also continuing its Focus programs, CIF Dialogues, special projects and public art initiatives through the Contemporary Istanbul Foundation.
Free boat service is being provided for visitors from Kabatas, Besiktas and Kadikoy piers to Tersane Istanbul during the fair.
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