The excitement for the 15th Istanbul biennial is everywhere. We asked Anna Zizlsperger, Huma Kabakcı, Mine Küçük and Ömer Özyürek, important figures in our art scene, their expectations from the event.
Anna Zizlsperger (Exhibist, Founder)
I am very excited about the upcoming 15th edition of the Istanbul Biennial. The local art scene needs the energy the biennial brings with it and I can feel how people are motivated and full of hope that the event will re-unite Turkey’s art scene with the rest of the world after all the terrible events of the past year. I think the curators did an amazing job at underlining the fact that now it is important, more than ever, to come to Turkey and create critical artistic discourse.
Huma Kabakcı (Collector, Curator)
When I heard that this edition of the biennial was going to be curated by Elmgreen and Dragset, I was thrilled; I immediately thought of ‘The Collectors’, the exhibition they co-curated at the Scandinavian and Danish pavilions of the 53rd Venice Biennial. I am sure this artist duo will impress the audience with their sense of humor and selection of artists around the theme ‘a good neighbor’.
Mine Küçük (Education Professional, Museologist)
As I am responsible for training the biennial guides, we have already begun to read about the featured artworks. I think the curators not only came up with a conceptual framework relevant for the present day but they also selected the artworks with utmost care. I expect the biennial to be easy to navigate and the viewers will enjoy it.
Ömer Özyürek (Collector)
With the theme ‘A Good Neighbour’, I expect the 15th Istanbul Biennial to examine the relationships between people, life and places, questioning the problems of our daily life, the liberties in individual, common and public spaces, and the presence or absence of reciprocal tolerance. I believe this biennial and other simultaneous art events will revive the art market that has been static since the last biennial, and will increase the enthusiasm for art that has recently been going down.
To access more information about the 15th Istanbul Biennial, click here.