The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), has announced that the 18th Istanbul Biennial will be curated by Christine Tohmé. This upcoming edition will span three years, with events and initiatives scheduled from 2025 to 2027, each phase building upon the last to foster a deep exploration of art and culture.
Set to unfold in three distinct phases, the biennial’s first leg will run from September 20 to November 23, 2025, with exhibitions and public programs across Istanbul. In 2026, the focus will shift toward establishing a permanent educational platform, in collaboration with local art communities and institutions, with quarterly public events. Finally, the biennial will culminate between September 18 and November 14, 2027, offering a comprehensive program including exhibitions, publications, performances, and discursive sessions.
Curator Christine Tohmé’s approach seeks to “reclaim time” for art, emphasizing the value of an extended, transformative process. In her proposal, Tohmé noted, “Art is most transformative not only in its final presentation but, importantly, in its production—the creative exchanges, studio visits, and reading groups.” The multi-year format of the biennial, she believes, will allow for deeper engagement with local and international communities, creating a space for collective dialogue, community-focused projects, and meaningful artistic exchange.
The thematic focus of the biennial’s first leg is “self-preservation and futurities,” exploring questions of resilience amid uncertainty. According to the biennial’s outline, this phase will ask: How do material conditions and the lack of safety impact our lives and relationships? How can we create spaces for respite, build unconventional solidarities, and devise strategies of resistance? The aim is to foster reflection on themes of impermanence and endurance, inviting audiences to envision a future shaped by both hope and resilience.
