The Istanbul Biennial will open on September 20, marking its 18th edition, curated by Christine Tohmé and titled “The Three-Legged Cat.” Organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) with the longstanding support of Koç Holding, the Biennial will unfold in three parts between 2025 and 2027.
The first leg opens to the public on September 20, 2025, and will run until November 23. It will showcase works by 47 artists from around the world across eight venues located along the Beyoğlu–Karaköy axis. Admission will be free of charge.
At a recent press gathering, İKSV Chairperson Bülent Eczacıbaşı emphasized the Biennial’s significant role in shaping Istanbul’s cultural landscape over nearly four decades. Meanwhile, Ömer M. Koç, Chair of Koç Holding, highlighted the importance of art as a space for freedom and critical expression in uncertain times.
With its first steps, The Three-Legged Cat sets the tone for a Biennial that is less an event than an unfolding process—inviting audiences to imagine how art can carry us into uncertain futures.
Tohmé’s vision expands the Biennial into a three-year cycle. The 2025 edition will kick off this journey, focusing on themes of self-preservation and futurity. In 2026, the Biennial will evolve into an academy, creating public programs that engage with local initiatives. By 2027, the Biennial will conclude with exhibitions and workshops that tie together the insights gained throughout the process.
This year’s venues include the Galata Greek School, Zihni Han, Muradiye Han, Galeri 77, Cone Factory, Meclis-i Mebusan 35, the Garden of the Former French Orphanage, and Elhamra Han. Each space will feature installations, performances, and interventions from artists selected through a comprehensive research process and an open call.
Participants include İpek Duben, Simone Fattal, Lungiswa Gqunta, Naomi Rincón-Gallardo, Ana Vaz, Abdullah Al Saadi, Jasleen Kaur, Haig Aivazian, Dilek Winchester, Eva Fàbregas, Khalil Rabah, Mona Benyamin, and Natasha Tontey. A complete list of artists is available on the Biennial’s website.
Selma Selman’s “Motherboards” at Istanbul Modern features the extraction of gold from discarded electronics, presenting a work that is both personal and political. Meanwhile, Alex Baczyński-Jenkins’ “Untitled (Holding Horizon)” at Arter’s Karbon space delves into queer intimacy through a durational dance. Additionally, Ahmad Ghossein’s “So Your Heart Aches, Huh? or The Pit” unfolds as a monologue on survival amidst Lebanon’s crises.
The film programme spans speculative histories and geopolitical ruptures, featuring works by Maxime Hourani, Samar Al Summary, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, and Suneil Sanzgiri. Evenings extend into DJ performances by Jtamul, Urok Shirhan, GLVRE, and LOKA.
The Biennial also continues its learning initiatives. A children’s programme, developed with PACE Kids Art Center, takes place at the Galata Greek School. The beloved seagulls Optigull and Pesigull return in a new children’s book, The Map of Lost Sounds, written by Yekta Kopan and illustrated by Gökçe Akgül, to be distributed free in October.
