Contemporary Istanbul, Turkiye’s leading international art fair, returns for its landmark 20th edition from 24–28 September 2025, with a preview day on Wednesday 24 September, set against the historic architecture of Tersane Istanbul. Akbank as its main partner, this anniversary edition, marks two decades of Contemporary Istanbul as a vital meeting point for artists, collectors, and institutions across the region and beyond.
Contemporary Istanbul 20th Anniversary Projects and Events;
Focus America
This year’s curated Focus Section, titled Focus America, spotlights the contemporary art landscape of the United States, with an emphasis on New York and its influence on global visual culture. The participating galleries include Amanita, Revolver Galería, Pontone / Friedrichs Pontone, Leila Heller Gallery and Heft Gallery—each presenting a distinctive curatorial voice.
Amanita (New York) brings work by Bill Jensen, a veteran of American abstraction whose paintings are held in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum, MoMA, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Revolver Galería (Lima, Peru & New York, USA) presents Elena Damiani, a Peruvian artist whose layered works explore geological memory and have been exhibited at the Venice Biennale.
Pontone / Friedrichs Pontone (New York – London)/ Friedrichs Pontone highlights Brad Kunkle, recognized for his luminous figurative paintings, enhanced with gold and silver leaf, while
Leila Heller Gallery (New York, USA & Dubai, UAE) showcases Ryan Koopmans & Alice Wexell, whose collaborative photo-based works reimagine abandoned Soviet architecture through digital interventions that hint at post-human futures.
Heft Gallery (New York, USA) will feature Edward Burtynsky, the acclaimed Canadian photographer known for his sweeping industrial landscapes, held in the collections of MoMA and the Guggenheim.
CIF Dialogues 2025
Contemporary Istanbul Foundation (CIF) will host CIF Dialogues 2025 on September 24–25 under the theme “Dispersing Coordinates: Istanbul and the Changing Art Map.” Taking place at The Pavilion, Tersane Hall B, the panel will explore the next 20 years of contemporary art experiences, institutions, artists, and production techniques.
Curated by the Foundation’s Artistic Director Sarp Kerem Yavuz, the event is organized in partnership with the U.S. Diplomatic Mission to Turkey. It features a keynote speech by Jennifer Stockman, Honorary Chair of the Guggenheim, and spotlights the theme “Focus: America.”
Contemporary Istanbul Foundation Special Presentation: Judy Chicago – What If Women Ruled the World?
In collaboration with Tersane Istanbul, the Contemporary Istanbul Foundation is presenting, for the first time in Turkey, the work What If Women Ruled the World? by Judy Chicago, one of America’s most prominent feminist artists, born in 1939. This collaboration is part of Tersane Istanbul’s public art program and aligns with long-term projects as well as major events such as the Biennial and Contemporary Istanbul, contributing to a cohesive cultural calendar for the city.
SIGG Art Foundation Collection Highlights
A key highlight of CI 20 will be the exhibition of the Sigg Art Foundation Collection, founded by Pierre Sigg, a seasoned art collector and a new member of the Contemporary Istanbul Advisory Board. The foundation brings years of experience in art collecting into an independent structure. The collection spans from modern and post-war art to emerging contemporary artists, with a particular focus on the intersection of traditional and digital media through painting.
The Sigg Foundation exhibition space, located in Hall B, will feature works by Jean-Baptiste Vanmour, Louisa Gagliardi, Charles Ross, Korakrit Arunanondchai, Monia Ben Hamouda, Meriem Bennani, Austin Lee, Neïl Beloufa, and Jean Claracq.
Participating Galleries
Participating galleries include: 1 Mira Madrid (Madrid), AB GALLERY (Seoul), Amanita (New York), Anna Laudel (Istanbul – Düsseldorf), Art On Istanbul (Istanbul), AWC Contemporary Gallery (Dubai), Bozlu Art Project (Istanbul), Buchmann Galerie (Berlin – Geneva), BüroSarıgedik (Istanbul), CUT Art (Riga), DG Gallery (Istanbul), DIRIMART (Istanbul – London), Esther Woerdoff (Paris), Ferda Art Platform (Istanbul), Galeri 77 (Istanbul), Galeri Nev Istanbul (Istanbul), Galeria Joan Gaspar (Barcelona), Galerija Fotografija (Ljubljana), Gillian Jason Gallery (London), Heft Gallery (New York), JD Malat Gallery (London – Dubai), Kvalitář Gallery (Prague), Leila Heller Gallery (New York – Dubai), Mark Hachem Gallery (Paris – Beirut), Martch Art Project (Istanbul), Muse Contemporary (Istanbul), OG Gallery (Istanbul), One Arc Gallery (Istanbul), Öktem Aykut (Istanbul), Pedro Cera (Lisbon – Madrid), PG Art Gallery (Istanbul), Pi Artworks (Istanbul – London), PİLEVNELİ (Istanbul), PİLOT (Istanbul), Piramid Sanat (Istanbul), Pontone / Friedrichs Pontone (New York – London), Revolver Galería (New York – Buenos Aires), Ruzy Gallery (Istanbul), Sevil Dolmacı (Istanbul – Dubai), SIMBART PROJECTS (Istanbul), Siyah Beyaz Ankara (Ankara), Summart (Istanbul), TAEX (London), Taksim Sanat (Istanbul), Trafo Gallery (Prague), Villa del Arte Galleries (Barcelona – Amsterdam), Vision Art Platform (Istanbul), Wizard Gallery (Milan), x-ist (Istanbul), ZILBERMAN (Istanbul – Berlin).
Special Exhibitions and Collaborations
Akbank, the main partner of Contemporary Istanbul for 20 years, is once again hosting an exciting new exhibition this year. At the Akbank Sanat booth, the world premiere of a curated selection of oil paintings by Jannis Kounellis—curated by Hasan Bülent Kahraman—will be presented.
n honor of the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Car Collection—distributed in Turkey by Borusan Otomotiv, a joint partner of Contemporary Istanbul—two iconic vehicles will be exhibited together in Turkey for the first time: Alexander Calder’s legendary first Art Car from 1975 and Julie Mehretu’s latest Art Car project. This special presentation highlights the longstanding intersection between contemporary art and mobility.
Contemporary Istanbul’s other joint partner, Tersane Istanbul, is hosting four large-scale installations that blend the historical texture of the Golden Horn with contemporary art, specially curated for the fair’s 20th anniversary. Works by Arcangelo Sassolino, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Jorinde Voigt, and Summer Wheat are on display at Beymen G8 – The Space and Aliée Istanbul. This special selection offers visitors diverse routes of experience by placing contemporary art alongside the city’s architectural heritage.
In Tersane Istanbul’s Secret Garden, Sedef Gali’s organza fabric installation “Between Petals & Unsent Letters” invites visitors into a poetic realm woven between dreams and memories.
