Contemporary Istanbul is the leading art fair in the region and a major platform connecting artists, galleries, and collectors from around the world. Launched in 2006, it is committed to showcasing exceptional contemporary art and advancing new ideas. Strongly rooted in the rich local context, the fair actively contributes to the dynamic culture of Istanbul and supports its creative industries. Through new initiatives and multiple collaborations with Turkish and international partners, Contemporary Istanbul is aiming to shape the future of art in the region.

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Preview: 26-27 September, 2023
General Admission: 28 September – 1 October, 2023

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KILIS PROJECT:

Contemporary Istanbul and Aralık Foundation, with the endorsement of Turkey’s Ministry of National Education, supporting a school project for Kilis’ and Syrian children in Turkey . They are raising money 12–13 May at the Sofa Hotel in Istanbul. All funds from sales of the exhibited works went towards the financial support of the project. 62 contributing artists: Ahmet Doğu İpek, Ahmet Elhan, Ahmet Güneştekin, Alev Ermiş Mavitan, Ali Bilge Akkaya, Ali Elmacı, Ali Emir Tapan, Ali İbrahim Öcal, Ali Kotan, Ani Çelik Arevyan, Aras Seddigh, Ardan Özmenoğlu, Ayşe Gül Süter, Azade Köker, Bahadır Baruter, Bihrat Mavitan, Burcu Perçin, Burçak Bingöl, Burçin Başar, Buğra Erol, Candaş Şişman, Cenk Akaltun, Ebru Uygun, Ekrem Yalçındağ, Ela Cindoruk, Elvan Alpay, Emin Mete Erdoğan, Erkut Terliksiz, Erol Eskici, Guido Casaretto, Gül Kozacıoğlu, Gülay Semercioğlu, Günnur Özsoy, Hale Tenger, İrfan Önürmen, İsmail Acar, Joana Kohen, Kemal Seyhan, Leyla Gediz, Melek Mazıcı, Meltem Işık, Mike Berg, Mithat Şen, Murat Germen, Murat Morova, Murat Palta, Murathan Özbek, Mustafa Horasan, Nazan Pak, Nejat Satı, Nermin Er, Nihat Kemankaşlı, Seçkin Pirim, Serdar Arat, Serkan Adın, Seda Hepsev, Şükran Moral, Tan Mavitan, Yağız Özgen, Yılmaz Aysan, Yusuf Sevinçli, Zeynep Solakoğlu

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CANAN TOLON “LIMBO

Limbo, a new large-scale installation by Canan Tolon, commissioned by Contemporary Istanbul Foundation. “Life is built on a system of cycles, all those who live know this. We are born and die, caught in a repetitive pattern, in the rhythm of years, seasons, days. Knowing this, we live with the expectations of this information and the fear of these expectations. Despite knowing all this, we act with the instinct of avoiding repetitions. We do not want to do the same things, hear, see and feel the same things every day, and we struggle to escape from being trapped in this cycle. This power enables us to erode our rigid limited framework of life, to get out of that cage, to make us forget our convictions and live. Play is also the only activity that helps us forget… it distracts us to the point of callousness. Fişekhane, like all words in Turkish ending with “hane”—such as prison (hapishane), hospital (hastane), factory (imalathane), etc., these places most often house all sorts of repetitive activities. I installed Limbo—its title defining a state of suspense—to remind us how often we get caught in dangerously attractive games in order to break away from  our daily repetitive chores, while ignoring too quickly and often destroying the delicate repetitive cycle of our natural surroundings.”—Canan Tolon