This year, the Istanbul Biennial will spread across eight different venues along the Beyoğlu–Karaköy axis. Historic buildings such as the Galata Greek School, Zihni Han, Elhamra Han, the Garden of the Former French Orphanage, and the Külah Factory will serve as key stops where art meets the memory of Istanbul.
The Istanbul Biennial, which does not adhere to a fixed exhibition venue, adopts a unique spatial configuration redefining its relationship with the city in each edition. The venues for the first chapter of the three-year-long 18th Istanbul Biennial, starting on September 20, were once again chosen in connection with the conceptual framework crafted by curator Christine Tohmé. The use of numerous venues in the first chapter will add variety to the exhibition experience, while their proximity to each other promises a cohesive biennial journey.
The combined use of different spaces transforms the biennial from a singular exhibition into a multi-layered experience. Thanks to the close distances between the exhibition sites, visitors can continue their exploration on foot without needing to plan transportation routes. Thus, the Istanbul Biennial turns the city and public space into a natural extension of the exhibition, offering opportunities for encounters and interaction with artworks amidst the flow of everyday life.
Venues of the 18th Istanbul Biennial
Every venue along the biennial route shaped around the Beyoğlu–Karaköy axis contributes to the biennial’s multi-layered narrative with stories that stretch from Istanbul’s past to its present. One of these venues, the Galata Greek School, is a familiar landmark for Istanbul Biennial visitors. Built in 1885 and officially serving as an educational institution for the Greek community of Galata from 1910 until 1988, the building was repurposed as a cultural and art venue in 2012. It has hosted the 1st Istanbul Design Biennial (2012), the 15th Istanbul Biennial (2017), and various exhibitions. Following comprehensive restoration between 2019 and 2024, it rejoins the roster of biennial venues this year.
A little further down the road in Karaköy, Zihni Han, a building recently brought back into public view, will open its doors to visitors for the first time as one of the main stops of the 18th Istanbul Biennial. Once a hub of commerce and craft in the port area connecting Istanbul to the Eastern Mediterranean, the han has been renovated to reclaim its place as a public venue within the biennial.
Further toward Fındıklı from Zihni Han, a building located at No. 35 Meclis-i Mebusan Street will also serve as a biennial venue this year, reclaiming its function as an art space. The gallery located on the ground floor of this building was previously one of the venues for the 3rd Istanbul Design Biennial in 2016.
Very close to Zihni Han is Muradiye Han, another significant architectural structure from the early 20th century situated within Karaköy’s historic fabric. Following comprehensive restoration completed in 2021, the ground floor of this building has been designated as a biennial venue. Opposite Muradiye Han stands Galeri 77, which will also be one of the stops along the biennial route. Also in the same vicinity, the Külah Factory—once a site for the production of confectionery and ice cream cones—will open its doors as an art space during the 18th Istanbul Biennial.
As part of the 18th Istanbul Biennial, the Garden of the Former French Orphanage, located between Karaköy and Beyoğlu along Boğazkesen Street, will host an installation and serve as a resting point for biennial visitors. The land where the building stands was allocated in 1869 by Sultan Abdülaziz to the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul to be used as an orphanage. It functioned as an orphanage until 1937 and also hosted the 14th Istanbul Biennial in 2015.
The biennial’s stop in Beyoğlu will be Elhamra Han, an iconic building on İstiklal Avenue known for its eclectic façade blending Ottoman and European architectural elements. Hosting the Istanbul Biennial for the first time, Elhamra Han was originally built in 1827 as one of Istanbul’s first theater halls. Over the years, the six-story building has served various functions, and two opposite apartments on its second floor will be used as biennial venues.
The Istanbul Biennial is organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) with the support of Koç Holding, Biennial Sponsor from 2007 to 2036.
