An Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) exhibition in Beyoğlu-Karaköy, weaving together historical and contemporary voices
18th Istanbul Biennial Opening Reception. Photo: Muhenna Kahveci
The 18th Istanbul Biennial, curated by Christine Tohmé and titled The Three-Legged Cat, will open to the public on 20 September 2025. Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) with the support of Biennial Sponsor Koç Holding, the exhibition will run across eight venues in the Beyoğlu-Karaköy district until 23 November 2025. Admission is free.
A Biennial in Three Legs
The 18th Istanbul Biennial unfolds over a three-year framework from 2025 to 2027.
- First leg (2025): Exhibitions by 47 artists across eight venues in Istanbul.
- Second leg (2026): Creation of an academy and collaborations with local initiatives through a series of public programmes.
- Third leg (2027): A year of reflection, concluding with exhibitions and workshops synthesising the preceding research and encounters.
The first leg focuses on themes of self-preservation and futurity, shaped by extensive research including studio visits, meetings, and an open call held in late 2024.
Artists and Venues
The works of 47 artists will be presented across eight venues, all within walking distance of each other along the Beyoğlu-Karaköy axis.
- Galata Greek School: Nolan Oswald Dennis, İpek Duben, Ali Eyal, Simone Fattal, Lou Fauroux, Lungiswa Gqunta, Kongkee, Seta Manoukian, Merve Mepa, Naomi Rincón-Gallardo, Ana Vaz, Akram Zaatari, Ayman Zedani
- Zihni Han: Abdullah Al Saadi, Willy Aractingi, Karimah Ashadu, Chen Ching-Yuan, Ian Davis, Celina Eceiza, Pélagie Gbaguidi, Rafik Greiss, Jasleen Kaur, Valentin Noujaïm, Marwan Rechmaoui, Stéphanie Saadé, Sara Sadik, Sohail Salem, Elif Saydam, Selma Selman
- Muradiye Han: Ana Alenso
- Galeri 77: Haig Aivazian, Ola Hassanain, Mona Marzouk, Dilek Winchester
- Cone Factory: Doruntina Kastrati, Claudia Pagès Rabal
- Meclis-i Mebusan 35: Eva Fàbregas, Pilar Quinteros, VASKOS (Vassilis Noulas & Kostas Tzimoulis)
- Garden of the Former French Orphanage: Khalil Rabah
- Elhamra Han: Mona Benyamin, Şafak Şule Kemancı, Jagdeep Raina, Riar Rizaldi, Lara Saab, Natasha Tontey, Sevil Tunaboylu
Public Programme
The opening week features live performances, screenings, and DJ sets. Highlights include:
- Selma Selman, Motherboards at Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, a work created with her family staging the extraction of gold from discarded electronics.
- Alex Baczyński-Jenkins, Untitled (Holding Horizon) at Arter’s Karbon space, a durational dance performance exploring queer intimacy through the box step.
- Ahmad Ghossein, So your heart aches, huh? or The Pit, a monologue connecting Lebanon’s crisis with studies of dopamine and oxytocin.
Film screenings explore speculative histories and geopolitical tensions:
- Maxime Hourani, Stones Never Lie, on cosmology and Lebanon’s failed revolutions.
- Samar Al Summary, What Goes Up, on displacement and homesickness.
- Lawrence Abu Hamdan, 45th Parallel, on drone warfare and borders.
- Suneil Sanzgiri’s An Impossible Address explores the connections between India and Africa through shared anti-colonial histories and the life of activist Sita Valles.
The week also includes DJ sets by Jtamul, Urok Shirhan, GLVRE, and LOKA.
Access and Information
The biennial is free and open to the public across all venues. Further details, including the complete curatorial statement and venue information, are available at bienal.iksv.org/en.
The 18th Istanbul Biennial, The Three-Legged Cat, opens on 20 September 2025 and runs until 23 November 2025 at venues across Beyoğlu-Karaköy. Admission is free.
