Turkey’s premier contemporary art fair, Contemporary Istanbul, returns for its 19th edition from October 24-27th, 2024, with a preview day on Wednesday October 23rd, featuring 50 galleries from 14 countries.
This year’s fair, in partnership with Akbank, will be set across the historic Tersane Istanbul, showcasing 809 art pieces by 503 artists. The event will showcase art in the Tersane İstanbul Hall A and terraces with views of Istanbul and the Golden Horn, and the Tersane İstanbul Hall B located in Rixos Tersane İstanbul ballroom, and waterfront open spaces.
This year’s guest country program at Contemporary Istanbul is spotlighting Spain and Spanish-speaking countries and Latin America. The Spain and Latin America Focus Section, supported by key Corporate Club partners integral to Turkey-Spain trade relations, presents an impressive array of galleries; Jorge Lopez Galeria (Valencia), Jose de la Mano Galería (Madrid), W Galeria (Buenos Aires), Berlin Galleria (Sevilla), Andrea Rehder Gallery (São Paulo) and Gallería Remota (Salta).
A centerpiece of this year's event is the special exhibition, Born in the Seventies, curated by Juan Manuel and Monika Bonet. Supported by Cristina Latorre Sancho, Spain’s Ambassador to Turkey, this exhibition presents over 21 exceptional works from leading 15 different galleries from all over Spain. The showcase aims to highlight the diverse and evolving landscape of contemporary Spanish art, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of tradition and modernity in Spanish-speaking countries.
The fair's iconic "The Yard Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition’s 4th edition curated by Marc Olivier Wahler, artistic advisor of Contemporary Istanbul and the director of the MAH Musée d’Art et d’Histoire director of the MAH Musée d’Art et d’Histoire in Geneva features 19 works by a diverse group of both emerging and established artists. Set against the Golden Horn waterfront, "The Yard" offers a visually captivating and thought-provoking outdoor gallery, highlighting the rich diversity and innovative spirit of contemporary art today.
The CIF Dialogues program, in collaboration with conference partner IGA Art, will feature expert talks from various disciplines over two days. Organized in partnership with Artsy, a leading marketplace for emerging and renowned artists, the program will be moderated by Sarp Kerem Yavuz, CI New York representative and artistic content advisor for the fair. This event brings together international speakers to explore themes centered on Spain and Spanish-speaking countries, with a special focus on art and digital art in the age of artificial intelligence.
Notable figures such as Marc Olivier Wahler, Stefanie de Regel (TAEX’s Business Development Director), Steven Sachs (Founder and Director of Bitforms Gallery NY), Sureyya Wille (Digital Sales Strategist), Wilko Austermann (Director of Museum Gegenstandsfreier Kunst), Maria Gracia de Pedro (Chair of the Badr El Jundi Foundation and GCC Spain Founder) and Miguel Blanco-Carrasco, Public Art Expert (Advisor to the Royal Commision for Riyadh City)
The fair is supported by Rixos Tersane Istanbul, BMW Turkiye, QUA Granite, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, LG OLED, Trendyol, and more. Additional partners include Pernod Ricard Türkiye, Tosyalı Holding, Monan Jewelry, Magdeburger Sigorta, and The Marmara Group.
For international promotion, the fair will host press in partnership with the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) and work with municipalities like Istanbul, Ankara, and Eskişehir for promotional efforts.
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