Press Release
Istanbul, May 2014
CONTEMPORARY ISTANBUL AND TOKYO ART CLUB HOSTED A PANEL
DISCUSSION ABOUT TURKISH CONTEMPORARY ART AT PALAIS DE TOKYO
IN PARIS ON MAY 28th
The 9th edition of Contemporary Istanbul, the leading international art fair will
take place from November 13th to November 16th 2014. While preparing to welcome once
again an impressive number of prestigious galleries, Contemporary Istanbul gathered
significant personalities from the international art scene in Paris at the Palais de Tokyo.
Contemporary Istanbul and Tokyo Art Club collaborated for a panel discussion on May
28th at Palais de Tokyo in Paris. The panel was kindly supported by Tokyo Art Club cofounder and Contemporary Istanbul Advisory Board Member Ms. Susanne Van Hagen.
The Tokyo Art Club founded in 2009 invites its members to a weekly rendezvous and gives them
exclusive access to international art fairs and biennials. It offers its members the possibility of
being involved in the selection process of artists to be exhibited at Palais de Tokyo.
This panel discussion was moderated by Fabrice Bousteau, Editor in Chief of Beaux
Arts Magazine. Speeches followed and focused on the Turkish art scene and contemporary
art in Turkey in general; Ali Güreli, Contemporary Istanbul’s Chairman, Professor Hasan
Bülent Kahraman, Contemporary Istanbul’s General Coordinator, Chief Advisor to the Present
of Republic of Turkey and Vice Rector of Kadir Has University, Can Elgiz, founder of Elgiz
Museum of Contemporary Art in Istanbul, Erdağ Aksel, Contemporary Turkish Artist, Deniz
Ova, Director of Istanbul Design Biennial were the speakers of the panel.
Within the context of the expanding art scene in Turkey - including three major museums
opening in the next couple of years - the increasing number of galleries and the strong
international presence of Contemporary Istanbul, this panel discussion reflected and deliberated
on the dynamics of the local scene. The happening of the renowned Istanbul Biennial (14th
edition) will take place from September 5th to November 1st 2015 and concerning the more recent
Istanbul Design Biennial; its second edition will be from November 1st to December 14th 2014.
As an international spot for contemporary arts, Istanbul has become an important participant in
the art scene and this dialogue will reflect on these changing dynamics.
Çağdaş İstanbul Sanat Organizasyon ve Yatırımları A.Ş.
Mete Cad. No 10/11 Taksim 34437 İstanbul Tel: +90 212 244 7171 Fax: +90 212 244 7181
www.contemporaryistanbul.com info@contemporaryistanbul.com
Ali Güreli said “In the past eight years, the level of success has always followed an
upwards trend and Contemporary Istanbul is now considered to be one of the premier art events
in the region, establishing a week dedicated to contemporary art across Istanbul with the
participating institutions, galleries and cultural centres hosting a range of activities. Our vision is
to be a fair embedded in the culture of Istanbul while being an artistic hub for galleries. We
believe the assets of the local culture should not to be replaced by the uniform, homogenous
global culture, but we aim for a fruitful exchange between the local and the global art scene.
Aligning ourselves to these values over the last eight years, we have gathered not only galleries
from across the world but also hosted various guest countries and regions such as Syria, Iran, the
Gulf, Russia, Eastern European countries and in this year’s New Horizons section China, thus
highlighting the unique character of Contemporary Istanbul as not only an art fair, but a cultural
platform.”
Professor Hasan Bülent Kahraman started commenting about the development of
Turkish contemporary art. Afterwards, he emphasized the unfolding of the four following
phases; 1850 - 1950 early and classical period, 1950 -1980 mid and abstract period, 1980 - 2000
modern period and 2000 to nowadays contemporary art. After that he discoursed about the
cultural background of these periods. In this same context he described the characteristics of the
first period as sheer westernization, orientalism and self orientalism. Delayed follow up of the
western movements have demarcated the first three periods. The third period saw, among other
idiosyncrasies, the birth of the cultural institutions whereas they have reached their full blossom
in the last period. The Professor also stated that the contemporary period in Turkey witnesses the
juxtaposition of Turkey and West with full functioning of the cultural institutions.
Can Elgiz's part covered the development of his life as a collector since the 1980's; the
foundation and the formation of 'Proje 4L Istanbul Contemporary Art Museum' in 2001 as being the
first contemporary art museum of Turkey, as well as a non-profit initiative to support the art and
the artists through providing them an exhibition space that is open to public. He also commented
about the maturation of 'Proje4L/Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art', which currently continues it's
mission to share art with the public by hosting numerous temporary exhibitions covering both
established and young artists, while also exhibiting the Elgiz collection itself.
Erdağ Aksel said: “This talk intended to express the individual concerns of an artist
living in Istanbul. I am sure if another artist was invited to this panel, you would hear a
completely different story. To close, let me tell you the most important and personal thing about
Istanbul as an artist; I feel very wealthy living in a city that has so many layers both culturally and
historically. It is chaotic, sexy and dynamic. Walking the streets of this crowded city alone is
major source of nourishment for me and my artistic production. Even if I sometimes have to
stop walking and start running to avoid pepper gas shot from armored police vehicles, I never
think about leaving Istanbul, that has actually became the city that never sleeps.”
Deniz Ova - presented the progress, context and programme of the biennial, which was
organised for the first time in 2012 by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV).
Çağdaş İstanbul Sanat Organizasyon ve Yatırımları A.Ş.
Mete Cad. No 10/11 Taksim 34437 İstanbul Tel: +90 212 244 7171 Fax: +90 212 244 7181
www.contemporaryistanbul.com info@contemporaryistanbul.com
British curator and writer Zoë Ryan who is also the John H. Bryan Chair and Curator of
Architecture and Design at the Art Institute of Chicago has been appointed as the curator of the
2nd Istanbul Design Biennial, to be held between 1 November- 14 December 2014. The title of
the biennial is "The Future Is Not What It Used To Be". With the question of “What is the
future now?”, the 2nd Istanbul Design Biennial asks, how can we reclaim the manifesto for the
21st century and beyond, not only in the production of texts, but through actions, services,
provocations, or objects and seize the potential to incite inventive outcomes? As a platform for
generating new ideas, the biennial invites submissions for contemporary design manifestos that
explore the complex role of design in today’s society.
Contemporary Istanbul 9th Edition
The 9th edition of Contemporary Istanbul, the leading international art fair will take place from
November 13th to November 16th 2014, ensures the city commands the attention to its dynamic
art scene of a broad international art audience.
For the second year running an addition to the fair is Plug-In New Media Section, dedicated to
showcasing video art and new media in adjacent 1000 square meters area, and which was a
spectacular success last year, will present video art, sound and light installations, interactive and
generative design installations by established and emerging artists along with leading galleries.
New Horizons is a section of Contemporary Istanbul that represents a specific country by
offering an annual focus of contemporary art from the selected geographic region. 2014’s
Contemporary Istanbul edition will put a spotlight on China. In the recent decades China has
participated with expanding and growing success in worldwide contemporary art and will be
Contemporary Istanbul’s guest country. The 9th edition’s focus is on China, hosting galleries,
artists, curators, publications, art critics and collectors from China in Istanbul Congress Center
part of the fair.
Massimo Torrigiani, Chairman of the Curatorial Committee of PAC (Padiglione d’Arte
Contemporanea) in Milan and Davide Quadrio will be managing, organizing and
coordinating the entire curation processus of this section by assigning which artists and galleries
which will be on display and that will represent Chinese contemporary art during Contemporary
Istanbul’s 9th edition. He will be selecting 10 to 12 Chinese galleries that will participate to the
fair.
A comprehensive CI Dialogues talk program will complement the second year of Plug-In Istanbul
alongside New Horizons program themed around “The Other Art. Alternatives. Choices.
Options”.
Palais De Tokyo Panel discussion is part of the international calendar of events that
Contemporary Istanbul has planned for this year, hosting approximately 12 international events
in cities all over the world such as New York, Dubai, Shanghai, Paris and London. Contemporary
Istanbul continues to expand globally via special occasions taking place in parallel with the most
Çağdaş İstanbul Sanat Organizasyon ve Yatırımları A.Ş.
Mete Cad. No 10/11 Taksim 34437 İstanbul Tel: +90 212 244 7171 Fax: +90 212 244 7181
www.contemporaryistanbul.com info@contemporaryistanbul.com
attended art fairs worldwide and meeting points of the art scene such as Armory Show, Art
Dubai, MOCA Shanghai, and the Palais de Tokyo.
Notes to Editors:
Here are the key points of the 8th edition of Contemporary Istanbul in 2013:
•
95 contemporary art galleries from 22 countries participated.
•
The fair attracted 72,000 visitors throughout the 5 days, an increase of 20% in the number
of people compared to the last year.
Visitor Information:
Contemporary Istanbul 9th edition
13-16 November 2014
Preview 12 November
www.contemporaryistanbul.com
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twitter.com/Contemporaryist
For more information
Gemma Saraçoğlu
Contemporary Istanbul
gemma@contemporaryistanbul.com
+90 534 360 02 04
Juan Sanchez
Rhiannon Pickles PR
juan@picklespr.com
+44 788 223 7732
Çağdaş İstanbul Sanat Organizasyon ve Yatırımları A.Ş.
Mete Cad. No 10/11 Taksim 34437 İstanbul Tel: +90 212 244 7171 Fax: +90 212 244 7181
www.contemporaryistanbul.com info@contemporaryistanbul.com