Three-legged cat calls out to the street

Culture and Arts Service

The first leg of the 18th Istanbul Biennial, titled "Three-Legged Cat," organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), will be open to the public from September 20 to November 23. Eight venues within walking distance of each other along the Beyoğlu - Karaköy route will host the event. The biennial features works by over 40 artists.

The Istanbul Biennial, which lacks a fixed exhibition space, redefines its relationship with Istanbul through the use of different spaces in each edition. The venues for the three-year 18th Istanbul Biennial, the first leg of which begins on September 20th, were also chosen in conjunction with the conceptual framework developed by curator Christine Tohmé. The use of multiple venues in the first leg of the biennial adds variety to the exhibition visit, while the proximity of the venues will create a unified biennial experience.

The biennial venues can be visited entirely on foot, eliminating the need for complex transportation planning and allowing for breaks and refreshments along the way. This allows the biennial to experience the city and its streets as part of the exhibition fabric, enabling encounters and relationships with the works within the natural flow of time.

ROUTE BEYOGLU-KARAKOY

Each venue on the biennial route, which takes shape along the Beyoğlu-Karaköy line, contributes to the multi-layered narrative of the biennial with stories extending from Istanbul's past to its present.

A witness to Istanbul's multicultural past, the Galata Greek School is a familiar structure to visitors to the Istanbul Biennial. Built in 1885 and officially serving as an educational institution for the Greek community of Galata from 1910 to 1988, the building was repurposed as a culture and arts venue in 2012. Having hosted the 1st Istanbul Design Biennial (2012), the 15th Istanbul Biennial (2017), and various exhibitions, the school rejoins the biennial venues this year following an extensive restoration between 2019 and 2024.

A little further down the road, Zihni Han (Zihni Han), a newly resurfaced structure in Karaköy, will open its doors to the public for the first time, making it one of the biennial's main stops. Once at the heart of commerce and craftsmanship, situated in the port area connecting Istanbul to the Eastern Mediterranean, the han is being renovated and revitalized for inclusion among the biennial venues.

The ground floor of the building located at number 35 on Meclis-i Mebusan Street, just off Zihni Han toward Fındıklı, will once again function as an art space and serve as a biennial venue. The gallery, located on the ground floor of the building, was among the venues for the 3rd Istanbul Design Biennial in 2016.

Muradiye Han, located very close to Zihni Han, is another important early 20th-century architectural structure nestled within Karaköy's historical fabric. Completed with extensive restoration in 2021, the building's ground floor has become one of the venues that will host the biennial. Located directly across from Muradiye Han, Gallery 77, now known as Gallery 77, is also a stop on the biennial route. Also located nearby, the Cone Factory, once a confectionery and ice cream cone producer, will open its doors to audiences as an art space during the 18th Istanbul Biennial.

The Garden of the Former French Orphanage, which will host an installation as part of the 18th Istanbul Biennial, will be a refreshing stop for biennial spectators walking along Boğazkesen Street between Karaköy and Beyoğlu. The land on which the building stands was allocated by Sultan Abdülaziz in 1869 to the Society of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul for use as an orphanage. The building, which operated as an orphanage until 1937, also hosted the 14th Istanbul Biennial in 2015.

The biennial's Beyoğlu stop is the Elhamra Han, a landmark building on İstiklal Street with its eclectic façade blending Ottoman and European architectural elements. The Elhamra Han, which hosted the Istanbul Biennial for the first time, was built in 1827 as one of Istanbul's first theaters. Two apartments on the second floor of the six-story building, which has served various functions over the years, will serve as the biennial venue.

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18TH ISTANBUL BIENNIAL IS A CAT IN EVERY ASPECT

Biennial curator Christine Tohmé explains the biennial's structure spanning three years as follows:

Stretching from 2025 to 2027 on three legs, the 18th Istanbul Biennial resembles a cat in every way. It stretches over time, keeping its feet on the ground, and adopts a rhythm nourished by conversations, exercises, and a constant stream of news.

Centered around self-preservation and future possibilities as themes, the first leg of the biennial features an exhibition of works by more than 40 artists, along with performances, screenings, and talks.

The second pillar in 2026 focuses on creating an academy and developing a range of public programs in collaboration with local initiatives.

In 2027, the biennial rests on its third leg, completing with a final exhibition and workshop program that brings together what it has encountered along the way.